‘Perfect Monday morning’ for Julie and Andy Miller at Gaitway
June 24, 2013,by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications
Englishtown, NJ — It was a perfect Monday morning for the stable of Julie and Andy Miller, which went 4-for-4 with 2-year-olds in qualifiers at Gaitway Farm.
Julie Miller drove one of the stable’s winners, colt pacer The Lunch Pail, while Andy Miller sat behind the other three; filly trotters Glowngold, Annies List and Fat Amy.
Tony Alagna was the only other trainer with multiple winners in the 13 qualifiers for 2-year-olds, finishing first twice. Casie Coleman, Joe Holloway, Sam DePinto, Larry Remmen, Tom Shay, Scott DiDomenico and Misty Miller each sent out one winner.
Andy Miller and David Miller each drove four winners while Tim Tetrick had three.
Fat Amy was one of four winners for Andy and Julie Miller.
The Lunch Pail won in 1:55.1 after finishing fourth in his first qualifier last week. A son of stallion Yankee Cruiser out of the mare Noble Marty, the colt (originally named Bud Bay) is a full brother to stakes-winner Marty Party.
“He’s a nice horse,” said Andy Miller. “We didn’t stake him real heavy because he’s a little small. We’re just waiting for him to grow up. He’s probably not a top horse, but he’s a nice racehorse.”
Glowngold (Conway Hall-Glow) and Annies List (Conway Hall-Ann’s Promise) both won in 1:59. Annies List also won a qualifier on June 10 at Gaitway.
Fat Amy (Donato Hanover-Apecs) won in 2:01.3 in her qualifying debut.
“We changed her name to Fat Amy; she was always kind of a butterball,” a laughing Miller said about the filly, who was originally named Donato Ducks. “I think she likes it. She got better when we changed her name.
“They all went good,” he added. “That’s all we can ask of them. They’re not our best ones, but I think they’re all OK. They’ll hold their own in some of the sire stakes; that’s what we’re hoping for. That’s the plan.”
At Press Time won in 1:54.2.
Alagna won with colt trotter Back N The Slammer (Jailhouse Jesse-Habit) in 1:59.2 and colt pacer Some Major Beach (Major In Art-Wheres The Beach) in 1:56.4. Some Major Beach, who was second in a qualifier at Gaitway last week, is a half-brother to 2008 Horse of the Year Somebeachsomewhere. Back N The Slammer is a half-brother to millionaire Civil Action. Colt pacer At Press Time (Western Terror-So Right), who was second in 1:56 last week, won in 1:54.2 for DePinto. At Press Time’s family includes stakes-winner Bo Knows Jate.
Colt trotter Crazzycrazzy (Crazed-Striking Vintage) won in 1:58.2 in his first start for Coleman. Colt pacer Spinmeister (Somebeachsomewhere-Just Add Water) won in 1:57.3 for Holloway while filly pacer Belclare (McArdle-Lisbella) won in 1:59.3 for Remmen.
Spinmeister’s second dam is millionaire Cathedra Dot Com, who is the mother of 2011 Metro Pace winner Simply Business, and his third dam is Hall of Fame broodmare Cathedra. Belclare’s family includes Lis Mara, who was voted the sport’s best older male pacer in 2006 by the U.S. Harness Writers Association.
USTA/Ken Weingartner photos
Spinmeister won his qualifier in 1:57.3, one of David Miller’s four winners.
Flying Nun (McArdle-Sistermarymargaret) won in 1:58.1 for Shay. The filly pacer’s family includes 2003 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion Jennie Fanetta, who also was trained by Shay. Filly pacer Handsoffmycreampuf (Western Terror-Show Time) won in 1:58.2 for DiDomenico. Her family includes Something For Doc, who won four legs of the Levy Memorial series earlier this year at Yonkers Raceway.
Filly pacer Moonlit Shark (Four Starzzz Shark-Moonlit Bay) won in 1:56.3 for Misty Miller after finishing third in 1:56.2 last week. She is a half-sister to stakes-winner Moonlit Dragon and her family also includes 1998 North America Cup winner Straight Path.