from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — After sweating out a judge’s inquiry, Vivid Photo was crowned the winner of the $240,000 Titan Cup on Saturday night (June 30) at the Meadowlands.

Lisa Photo

Vivid Photo found room in the stretch to win the Titan Cup.

Driver Roger Hammer let Vivid Photo relax behind the pacesetter Sand Vic as he led the field through fractions of :27, :56 and 1:24.1. They darted through an opening in the stretch and, in a duel to the finish, bested John Campbell and Corleone Kosmos by a neck in 1:52.1.

A judge’s inquiry was launched after Vivid Photo appeared to bear out in the stretch drive, interfering with Corleone Kosmos, but no fault was found.

Vivid Photo paid $6.40, $3.20 and $2.40 to win the evening’s eighth race. Corleone Kosmos returned $3.40 and $2.60 to place, while the late-rallying Ripped paid $3.60 to show.

Hammer’s strategy entering the race changed when Titan Cup prep winner Mr Muscleman was scratched lame just prior to the race.

“I had my whole day planned, my strategy, but then he got scratched,” Hammer said. “I threw it up in the air then. Last week I stayed up on Muscleman’s back. They knew I had a strong horse and they had me trapped in, so this week I stayed off and played dead. We were just racing; I guess my horse came out a little bit and John’s came in a little bit. We never actually touched each other.

“He had a coffin bone infection (earlier this spring),” Hammer added. “He raced about 80 percent. He goes to Monticello in nine days, if I take him. If not, I’ll just wait for the Nat Ray (August 4 at the Meadowlands).”

One of racing’s great underdogs, Vivid Photo was a little-known gelding who took Hammer and co-owner Todd Schadel on a miraculous journey from the Pennsylvania fair circuit to the winner’s circle of the $1.5 million Hambletonian in 2005 at the Meadowlands. Now 5, Vivid Photo has won 30 of his 57 career starts and earned nearly $2.3 million.

The early favorite heading into Saturday night’s Titan Cup, Mr Muscleman, was scratched just an hour before the race.

“He wasn’t good tonight warming up,” trainer Noel Daley said of Mr Muscleman. “He’s never perfect warming up, but he just wasn’t himself, so we decided to scratch him and just get him ready for the Nat Ray. He was turning his head and he was worse than usual. He just wasn’t himself tonight.”

Lis Mara, Artistic Fella hot in Haughton elims

Allergies and other ailments might have had Lis Mara off his game earlier this month, but he resumed his winning ways with a monstrous mile in the first of two $50,000 eliminations for the William R. Haughton Memorial on Saturday night.

The top five finishers in each elimination advance to the $650,000 final next Saturday, July 7.

Driver Brian Sears worked out a perfect covered trip for Lis Mara, sitting third behind Boulder Creek as he followed Maltese Artist’s brush to the front. Boulder Creek towed Lis Mara to the three-quarter marker and he sprinted by the field in 1:47.4. It was 2-1/4 lengths back to Mister Big in second, while Tigerama was third.

“He put in a fine performance tonight,” Sears said. “Up there in Canada, it’s a beautiful country, but some horses just don’t agree with the air up there. They have allergies. I think he is back on his game. The trip couldn’t have been drawn up any better. My biggest fear was being fourth-over, and I ended up third-over to second-over. It was a good trip for him. He’s got a big move and he never really got used until the head of the lane, so he had a lot of pop. He finished strong.”

The 2006 Older Pacer of the Year improved his record to five wins in seven starts this season. He has banked $1.4 million for trainer Erv Miller and owners MJG Racing Stable and Louis Willinger.

“The last couple of races, he had us a little bit nervous,” said co-owner Mike Gulotta. “He was sick with allergies and mucous. The vet cleared it up and he’s back to himself. You know what, if you don’t lose, than you don’t enjoy the winning. Every day can’t be Christmas and today was Christmas.”

In the second Haughton elimination, Artistic Fella breezed to a 1:49.2 victory on the front end. Driven by Cat Manzi, the 2006 Meadowlands Pace winner held off JK CU Later for a 1-1/2 length tally. Total Truth took the inside route to finish third.

A $13,000 yearling buy, Artistic Fella has earned $1.2 million for trainer Steve Elliott and owner Joseph Alborano.

In addition to the aforementioned horses, Boulder Creek, Holborn Hanover, Mypanmar and Took Hanover also advanced to the $650,000 final on Saturday, July 7.

Yankee Skyscaper wins Jersey Cup

In a non-wagering event prior to the card, Yankee Skyscaper moved one step closer to the $1 million Meadowlands Pace with a win in the $62,800 Jersey Cup.

Driven by George Brennan, he held off TJ’s Ideal in the final strides for a three-quarter length win in 1:52.2.

Yankee Skyscaper has won three of six starts in 2007 for trainer Chris Ryder and the Yankee Skyscaper partners. The Artiscape colt was second in the $500,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic on June 2.