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Rainbow Blue set a stakes record (1:52) in the $73,760 Blossom Final.

Driver Ron Pierce backed Rainbow Blue off the gate and settled in fifth as Heather’s Gambit led the field to the opening quarter. As Double Crème made a move to the front, Rainbow Blue followed and applied immediate pressure, clearing the lead in a 55.4 half. Rainbow Blue edged away to an unchallenged two and a half-length victory over Double Crème [$2.60, $2.10] in the evening’s third race. Heather’s Gambit [$2.10] held on for third.

Rainbow Blue’s 1:52 clocking eclipsed the previous stakes record of 1:53.1 set by Shake Away in 2003.

“I was going to let things unfold at the gate and she just relaxed real nice,” Pierce said. “I spoke to her at the head of the stretch and she took off. She can fly. She’s very special. I don’t know what filly in the country can go with her. [The trip] worked out great. We sat in the first half and followed Brian’s horse [Sears and Double Crème]. I moved her to the front and she just coasted to the wire. We had a nice breather at the three-quarters but it was not like she needed one.”

Trained by George Teague, the three-year-old daughter of Artiscape now has nine wins in 10 career starts and $162,504 in earnings. Teague co-owns the filly with his sister, Brenda, and the K&R Racing Stables [brothers Kevin and Ron Fry]. A $10,500 yearling purchase, Rainbow Blue suffered her only loss on July 9, 2003. Rainbow Blue is scheduled to go to Michigan for the $100,000 Rose Red Pace on May 21 [elims on May 14].

The filly will likely return to the Meadowlands for New Jersey Sire Stakes, the Tarport Hap on July 23 and the track’s premier event for three-year-old pacing fillies, the $350,000 estimated Mistletoe Shalee on August 7.

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The 1:51.1 mile by Brandon’s Cowboy equaled the Suslow stakes record.

In the $76,750 Robert J. Suslow Final, the fourth race, Brandon’s Cowboy [$5.00, $3.80, $2.60] claimed the lead past the quarter and was never threatened as he drew off to a length and three-quarter victory in 1:51.1.

Whodunit [$6.40, $4.00] sat a pocket trip to the winner and held his ground for second, while it was four and three-quarter lengths back to Georgia Pacific [$2.80] in third.

Starting from post 10 posed no problem for Brandon’s Cowboy whose 1:51.1 mile equaled the Suslow stakes record set by Key Western in 2003.

“He’s a great colt,” said the colt’s driver, Daniel Dube. “He feels so strong and at the top of the stretch he gave me what I needed. And he won easy. He can win every way you want.”

A three-year-old son of The Panderosa, Brandon’s Cowboy is campaigned by Dube, trainer Mark Ford and owner Martin Scharf, the connections behind 2001 Horse of the Year Gallo Blue Chip. The colt now has a record of three wins in four starts this season and lifetime earnings of $152,587.

“This was the highlight of the evening, so far,” said Ford, who also sent out Boystown to a fourth-place finish in the Suslow Final. “We couldn’t have drawn any worse with the nine [Boystown] and the ten [Brandon’s Cowboy]. But the 10-hole didn’t seem to bother him. He’s come along really well. We’ll see what happens with him. He’s going to get a couple of weeks off and go to The Meadows for some sire stakes. Then he’ll either go to Windsor or Hoosier, then the North America Cup and the Meadowlands Pace [July 17]. I’m not sure he’s that caliber of horse for those two races. But I couldn’t ask any more from him. We’ll just have to see.”

Dream Believer [$10.20, $3.60, $2.80] gave trainer Kelly Stackowicz the biggest win of her training career, and Daniel Dube his second stakes win of the night, when he captured the sixth race $46,300 Fox Sports Net
Final.

Dream Believer came third over and flew home to best Rob Roy Mattgregor [$3.20, $2.60] by a neck in 1:51.1. Our First Falcon N [$7.40] rallied for third.

“He got a great trip,” Dube said. “We followed George [Brennan and Liberal Arts] until the end. When I moved him, I knew he’d be fast. We needed luck tonight. Everything went my way. He was just great.”

A four-year-old son of Dream Away, Dream Believer has hit the board in 11 of 14 starts this season.

“I am just so excited,” Stackowicz said. “I thought he was great. Daniel gave him a perfect trip. This is my first stakes win. His name really fits him*to believe in your dreams. He’ll get a week in the field. We’ll figure out what conditions he fits.”

Dream Believer also gave owner Israel Galarza of Hoboken, New Jersey, his first stakes trophy. “I was 30 years a bettor,” Galarza said. “As soon as my kids got out of college, I decided to buy a horse. This is my first horse. I claimed him for $62,500 in January. With this purse money, I’ll buy another horse. I hooked up with Kelly Stackowicz by reading about her on the Meadowlands website. I’m a computer analyst with four kids,
all out of college.”