by Matt Sparacino, publicity director, Harrington Raceway
HARRINGTON, Del. – Norman Smiley, J.Langfelder, TLP Stable and G. Smiley’s Metropolitan won pacing’s second leg of the Triple Crown, the $340,950 Messenger, in 1:52.2 Tuesday at Harrington Raceway.
![](http://ustrottingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/5383-Metropolitan.jpg)
Harrington Raceway photo
Metropolitan wins the Messenger in 1:52.2.
Sent off as the 4-to-1 second choice, the Chris Ryder-trainee utilized his rail post position to set fractions of 27.4, 57, and 1:24.4 with driver John Campbell aboard. With Timesareachanging (Ron Pierce), part of the 1-to-5 entry, caught first over, Campbell unleashed a 27.3 last quarter to hold off he and pocket-sitting entry mate Western Terror for a one length triumph. Metropolitan won by a length with a game Timesareachanging holding second, Western Terror (Brian Sears) third and Maltese Artist fourth. The mark of 1:52.2 established a track record for 3-year-olds. “He’s come close in some of the major races, and wasn’t able to get the job done, but things worked to his advantage tonight,” said Campbell of Metropolitan. “Chris (Ryder) trained him hard around Freehold after the last race and I think that helped as well as some equipment changes. This horse races very well on the front.”
The win ended Perfect World Enterprises’ entry of Timesareachanging and Western Terror’s bid for the Triple Crown, after winning last week’s Cane Pace in a dramatic dead heat.
Metropolitan’s win boosts his seasonal earnings to more than $700,000 and $830,000 lifetime. Only Mantacular and Timesareachanging have higher seasonal earnings among 3-year-old colts.
“I expected him to win,” said Ryder. “I was confident he could cut a mile in 1:52 as long as he minded his manners, and I think I’ve got that organized. The entry was two legit horses, they raced very well in the Cane and good horses are always hard to beat, but fortunately we were able to get it done.”
Ryder also stated that Metropolitan’s next race would be the Little Brown Jug in Delaware, Ohio.
On the undercard, Schoor-Racing Stable and Val D’Or Farms Soho won his fifth race of the year in the $18,500 Open in 1:53.4. Driver Brad Hanners set all the fractions with the Bruce Riegle-trainee, and held off Moscow N for the win, which pushed him over $600,000 in career earnings.
The largest crowd of the season gathered to watch the track’s richest race in history. An estimated crowd of more than 4,500 witnessed pacing’s middle jewel of the Triple Crown.