by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications
East Rutherford, NJ — Aracache Hanover did all the work, but We Will See (Ron Pierce) got all the glory, as the latter won the $174,250 first division of the US Pacing Championship in 1:47.2 on Saturday (August 6) at Meadowlands Racetrack.
The time equaled the world record for a 4-year-old pacing horse on a mile track, set in the same race last year by Hypnotic Blue Chip.
Aracache Hanover (Doug McNair) set the early fractions of :26.4 and :54 to the half, with We Will See pacing along behind him to the 1:20.2 three-quarters.
At the top of the stretch, Pierce tipped out of the pocket behind Aracache Hanover and took dead aim on the leader. Those two battled down the stretch, with We Will See Prevailing by three-quarters of a length. Delmarvalous picked up the show dough.
Sam DePinto trains We Will See for his wife, Shannon, who co-owns along with Earl Smith and Jerry Silva.
“He’s tough, he can go,” said Pierce. “The horse we had to get by, he’s a tough horse, too, so you never know.”
Sam DePinto said that We Will See was a breeze to train.
“He’s the kind of horse everybody would want, no issues at all,” said DePinto. “He’s here next week for the Haughton eliminations and hopefully the final, and then the Canadian Pacing Derby (at Mohawk).”
In the second $174,250 division of the US Pacing Championship, John Cancelliere’s Bettor Sweet brushed to the lead past the opening quarter of :27.1, then was never caught through subsequent fractions of :54.2, 1:21.2 and 1:48.2.
Brian Sears was in the bike for trainer Tom Cancelliere as the 6-year-old Bettor’s Delight gelding defeated Alexie Mattosie with Foiled Again finishing third.
The victory was the seventh of the year for Bettor Sweet, who took his 2011 earnings past the $500,000 plateau.
“He’s a sweetheart to drive,” said Brian Sears. “He’s been good week in and week out all along. I got some soft fractions and he’s got some handy speed.”