Hightstown, NJ — Melanion might not be the type of horse that enjoys sharing warm and fuzzy moments in the barn, but the New Zealand-bred pacer’s all-business disposition has produced its share of pleasant results on the racetrack since his arrival in the U.S. this past April.
An 8-year-old gelding, Melanion has hit the board in 15 of 23 races, winning five, since joining the stable of trainer Maria Rice and the New York-based ownership group of Vogel & Wags Nags, Team Rice Racing, and Michael Miller a little more than nine months ago. Rice has seen the son of Bettor’s Delight-Georgia’s Jury improve steadily during that time as he acclimated to racing in the States.
In his past 10 starts, Melanion has posted four wins and three additional top-three finishes while competing at tracks in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. All four of those victories came at Batavia Downs, where after two recent starts at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows he will return to action Thursday (Feb. 6) in the $13,000 Open Pace.
“When we first got him, I think he just didn’t know what our racing was about,” Rice said about Melanion, who has won 12 of 66 lifetime races and earned $130,301. “The closer to Batavia closing for the winter (on Dec. 7), kind of everything clicked with him. I think he gets it now.”
Melanion has enjoyed most of his success racing from off the pace, but he has also won twice going gate-to-wire.
“I don’t know if it’s different over there, but when we first got him, he just had trouble leaving,” Rice said. “Now, he’s versatile. He can come from the back, he likes to chase horses, but when you can get him to the front he just swells right up.”
Melanion has started three times this year. He won the Open at Batavia on Jan. 9 before finishing second in the Open Handicap at The Meadows on Jan. 17 and third in a conditioned race at The Meadows on Jan. 25. In his first start at The Meadows, he came first-over from sixth after three-eighths of a mile and remained parked to the finish, missing by a head.
“I thought he raced amazing,” Rice said. “He just kept coming that day. The second week, he raced good, too, but coming out of the race he had a little foot issue. Maybe that’s why he didn’t have the finish that he did the week before.”
On Thursday, Melanion will meet six rivals at Batavia. Primo Uomo, who starts from post five with driver Joseph Chindano Jr., is the 2-1 morning-line favorite. Primo Uomo, trained by Dave Dewhurst, has two wins and a second in four races this season.
Melanion is 9-2 on the morning line. He will leave from post seven with Drew Monti in the sulky.
“We get them in shape all week and leave it up to the drivers,” Rice said about Melanion’s starting spot.
As for Melanion’s personality, the trainer said with a laugh, “He’s got attitude. He’s not one that you rub on and babytalk. There’s no babytalk in Mel.”
Also on Thursday’s Batavia card is the $17,500 TrackMaster Series final for pacers with a TM rating of 78 or less (as of Jan. 6). Rice will send out Australia-bred Mauries Bonus for owner Vogel & Wags Nags in that eight-horse event. The 8-year-old gelding had a win and a second among three starts in the series.
“I like him in there,” Rice said about Mauries Bonus, a son of Pet Rock-Perfect Bonus who has won 15 of 109 career races and earned $113,992 (with $60,755 made in 52 starts in the States). He’s mainly a closer, he doesn’t have that fast quick gate speed, but he can get to the front when possible.
“He had a good week training, so hopefully things will go his way.”
Racing begins at 3 p.m. (EST) at Batavia Downs. For free past performances, visit the track’s website here.