Mister Big pulls off giant upset in Haughton
July 9, 2007,from the Meadowlands Publicity Department
East Rutherford, NJ — Mister Big paid sizable dividends when he won the $650,000 William R. Haughton Memorial at odds of 15-1 on Saturday (July 7) at The Meadowlands.
Driven by David Miller, Mister Big rocketed off a second-over trip behind Total Truth to win the featured eighth race in 1:48.2. He paid $33.80, $19.00 and $18.00. Total Truth held on for second and returned $15.60 and $16.80. Trapped along the pylons, Artistic Fella held his ground for third and paid $8.20 to show.
“I didn’t think we had a very good chance to get into the race,” Miller said. “I kind of played around with it in my mind how to race him and when the gate left, I went ahead and tried to place him in the middle of the field and it just worked out. I landed right in a good spot and had good cover.
“On the last turn, he felt good and I was thinking, at that point, I could be second or third,” he continued. “I tipped him three-deep off Ronnie’s back (Pierce and Total Truth) and it looked like Lis Mara was starting to come back to us. I didn’t believe it, I was shocked.”
Mister Big notched his ninth win in 16 starts this season for trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr. and owner Joseph Muscara of Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania. Earlier this season, he captured the $74,000 Aquarius Final at the Meadowlands. Lifetime, the 4-year-old son of Grinfromeartoear now has a record of 15 wins in 42 starts and $942,771 in earnings.
“I’m ecstatic,” said assistant trainer Paul Stratton. “I lost my voice. This is the biggest thrill. We left everything up to Dave (Miller) tonight. The horse came into the race super. He was freshened up after the Levy (at Yonkers in May) and gave in some good qualifiers. We just wanted Dave to get him into a good position, to give him a shot down the lane. I thought if he was within five lengths of the leader, he would have a shot. He doesn’t know where the finish line is and he tries so hard. He’s got a big heart. He goes to Monticello in two weeks, or if not, he’ll be back here for the US Pacing Championship.”
Lis Mara, the 2-5 favorite, faded to fourth after leading the field into the stretch.
“Obviously, he wasn’t as sharp tonight,” said Lis Mara’s driver, Brian Sears. “He was perfect last week. I didn’t think the numbers (fractions) should have bothered him, but he just wasn’t himself.”
Always A Virgin, Running Book win Pace elims
The field for the $1 million Meadowlands Pace emerged from a pair of elimination races on Saturday night. The top five finishers in each $50,000 elimination advanced to the track’s signature event next Saturday, July 14.
In the first split, Always A Virgin, with Brian Sears in the sulky, brushed to the top before the half and pulled away to a length win in 1:50. It marked the third straight win for the son of Western Ideal. Trained by Joe Holloway, Always A Virgin counts a victory in the $175,000 New Jersey Sires Stakes Final and a third place finish in the $500,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic among his accomplishments this season. He is owned by Bluewood Stable, Roll The Dice Stable and Val D’Or Farms.
“I didn’t know what to make of the race as it unfolded,” Sears said. “When the gate opened, I really didn’t want to take all the way off the gate and have the horses I thought to beat behind me. I was able to drop in for a few steps and move him to the front and got some pretty easy numbers, and it worked out well.
“Yeah, I was (looking over my shoulder to see where Tell All was). I know that horse has a real good kick home and I said at the best, he’s third over and I didn’t see him, so it worked out. Like I said, the third quarter didn’t have that much pressure on him and I really didn’t have to stretch him out that much. He’s definitely got a shot (to take the final next week).”
Southwind Lynx closed to finish second, while Pandoras Sox was third. Trueys Legacy (fourth) and Tell All (fifth) also advanced to the Pace Final from the first elimination.
Sears also took the second elimination with 40-1 shot Running Book. The Real Desire colt pounced off a perfect pocket trip behind the pacesetter Sutter Hanover for a 1:48.4 victory. Artriverderci was second, while Sutter Hanover held on for third.
Running Book picked up his first win in six starts this season for trainer Bill Elliott and owner Antonio Chiaravelle.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of speed on the inside of Sutter Hanover,” Sears said. “I was just hoping to sit close, maybe shake loose and see what happens and hopefully make the final. Going into the half, the horse felt super and I said, ‘you know what? I might have to pull this horse and see what happens’ and the trip worked out and the horse was super tonight. He’s a nice horse and just hasn’t had any luck this year, but he definitely has some ability.”
Fourth place finisher Kenneth J and Watta Hotshot, fifth, also moved on to next week’s $1 million final.
Post positions will be drawn for the Meadowlands Pace, presented by TVG, at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, July 10.