TVG finals on center stage at Big M
November 11, 2016,by James Witherite, Meadowlands racing media
East Rutherford, NJ — While Always B Miki’s curtain call in the $400,000 TVG Free For All Pace is rightfully bound to garner great attention on Saturday (Nov. 12) evening’s 12-race card at The Meadowlands, the showdown between Hannelore Hanover and Bee A Magician in the $200,000 TVG Mares Trot just two races earlier has all the makings of a race for the ages.
In the Mares Trot, carded as race four, quadruple millionaire Bee A Magician looks to avenge her defeat to Hannelore Hanover in the Breeders Crown. The 6-year-old daughter of Kadabra, who has earned more than any other trotter on North American soil in harness racing history, has drawn widest in the field of seven, with regular driver Brian Sears once again at the lines for trainer Richard “Nifty” Norman. A 45-time winner in her career, Bee A Magician has been installed as the 2-1 morning line second choice.
Her main adversary, Hannelore Hanover, is the 7-5 early favorite after wins in the Breeders Crown, Centaur Trotting Classic, Muscle Hill, and Fresh Yankee as part of a season in which she made more than $1 million. Yannick Gingras will drive the 4-year-old Swan For All mare for Ron Burke.
Among the others to square off are Jimmy Takter trainee Shake It Cerry (David Miller, 5-1, post one) and 2015 Breeders Crown champion D’One (Tim Tetrick, 6-1, post six).
Always B Miki leads a field of seven in the Free For All Pace, carded as the night’s sixth event. The fastest pacer of all time — by virtue of his 1:46 mile at Red Mile in October — has been installed the 1-5 morning line favorite in his career finale, and David Miller will once again drive the Takter trainee from post three. U.S. Pacing Championship winner Shamballa (Scott Zeron, post seven) is the 6-1 second choice.
In the $200,000 Mares Pace, the eighth event of the evening, Lady Shadow has been installed as the 4-5 morning line favorite from post three in the field of nine. Gingras once again drives the 5-year-old daughter of Shadow Play for trainer Ron Adams after they teamed up for a resounding 1:49.4 win in the Breeders Crown. In fact, the race shapes up as a reprise of the distaff Crown, with the top six finishers all returning.
Save for the Mares Trot, the most compelling matchup of the night may well come in the $400,000 Free For All Trot, carded as race 10. Three-year-old Breeders Crown champion Bar Hopping rises to challenge older foes, to include Yonkers International Trot winner Resolve and Crawford Farms Trot winner Obrigado in the field of eight.
Bar Hopping returns to the Big M after a victory in the Erskine at Hoosier last week, and Tetrick retains the drive on the Takter trainee. The son of Muscle Hill starts from post three as the 4-1 morning line second choice, while Resolve has been installed the 7-5 favorite for trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt from post six.
From a wagering standpoint, a combined $105,000 in guaranteed Pick-4 and Pick-5 pools are included on the menu, as well as a pair of 20-cent Jackpot Super Hi-5 wagers.
First post is slated for 7:15 p.m. (EST).
- ‘Love at first sight’ (Sunday, November 06, 2016)
Helene Engblom and Shake It Cerry have traveled together to the races 60 times in the past four years, but their next trip is likely to be the most difficult. Shake It Cerry, the 2014 Trotter of the Year, is expected to make the final start of her illustrious career Saturday (Nov. 12) at the TVG Series Championships at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
- Wiggle It Jiggleit to miss $400,000 TVG final due to foot bruise and sickness (Tuesday, November 08, 2016)
Co-owner George Teague Jr. announced to the Meadowlands that Wiggle It Jiggleit, the top money-winning horse in harness racing in 2016, will not be entered in Saturday’s $400,000 TVG Free For All final due to a minor foot bruise and bout with sickness. The race was expected to mark the ninth and final showdown with world record holder and Breeders Crown champion Always B Miki.
- Matron 3-year-old races open this weekend’s Grand Circuit stakes (Wednesday, November 09, 2016)
The Grand Circuit returns to Dover Downs this Thursday (Nov. 10) for four Matron Stakes for 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. The 3-year-old colt trot carries a purse of $178,650, the 3-year-old colt pacers will race for $160,200, the purse for the 3-year-old filly trot is $149,000 and the 3-year-old filly pacers will race for $148,400.
- Bar Hopping to tackle older foes in TVG championship (Friday, November 11, 2016)
For the second consecutive year, trainer Jimmy Takter will send a 3-year-old colt to challenge older rivals in the TVG Free For All Series championship for trotters at the Meadowlands Racetrack. Last season, it was The Bank. This time, it is Bar Hopping, who on Saturday will try to become the first 3-year-old male trotter in recent history to win against older foes in a series final worth at least $100,000.
- Hurley has ‘mixed emotions’ as Always B Miki’s racing career comes to an end (Friday, November 11, 2016)
Joe Hurley’s run with Always B Miki is coming to an end. On Saturday night, Hurley, who at trackside ran down the final portion of the stretch at Lexington as Always B Miki made history with his 1:46 all-time record mile a month ago, will watch the 5-year-old pacing stallion he bred and co-owns compete for the final time in his career.
- Always B Miki sprints off in career curtain call (Saturday, November 12, 2016)
Always B Miki ($2.10) will always be remembered as a champion.The fastest pacer in the history of harness racing capped his career in triumphant fashion, using a sustained first-over bid to overpower All Bets Off and sprint off to a 1:48.2 victory in the $400,000 TVG Free-For-All Pace on Saturday evening (Nov. 12) evening at The Meadowlands.
- Hannelore Hanover, Lady Shadow prevail in TVG female contests (Saturday, November 12, 2016)
In the $200,000 TVG for trotting mares (race four), Hannelore Hanover ($3.60) rallied from off the pace to once again defeat Bee a Magician, vaulting home and reeling in the quadruple millionaire for a 1:51.4 score. Lady Shadow ($2.40) used nearly identical tactics as Always B Miki en route to her 1:50 win in the $200,000 TVG for pacing mares.
- Obrigado outlasts barrage of pressure, upsets TVG trot (Saturday, November 12, 2016)
Obrigado ($19.80), one of two of the eight in the $400,000 TVG Free-For-All Trot (race 10) to have not contested a Breeders Crown event two weeks ago, sought control of the terms early and dug in to parry a barrage of pressure in a compelling race which saw the entire octet covered by two lengths at the winning post.