What The Hill rallies late to capture Peter Haughton Memorial
August 6, 2016,by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications
East Rutherford, NJ — What The Hill (David Miller) came off the rail and split horses to grab the lead in the final hundred feet to win the $294,450 Peter Haughton Memorial for 2-year-old trotting colts on Saturday (Aug. 6) at The Meadowlands.
The time of 1:54.4 was a career best for the son of Muscle Hill-K T Cha Cha for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing, Deo Volente Farms, Our Horse Cents Stable and J&T Silva Stables. Burke won the Haughton last year with Southwind Frank.
The early pace was set by Snowstorm Hanover and driver Matt Kakaley who got to the quarter in :28,2, trailed by What The Hill. Those two were in the same order at the :57 half, with Bjorn Goop creeping up on the outside with Victor Gio and moving into the lead by the 1:25.4 three-quarters.
As Goop started to move away from the field in the homestretch with Victor Gio, Rubio (Yannick Gingras) was trotting down the center of the track trying to catch him, but What The Hill trotted off the rail to dart between Rubio and the leader to overtake him in the final yards for the win by three-quarters of a length. Victor Gio held for second and Rubio was 2-1/4 lengths off the winner to be third and New Jersey Viking was fourth.
“I knew he had a shot,” said co-owner Jerry Silva. “Ronnie (Burke) and I spoke about a driver. Yannick (Gingras) was really committed to a lot of Takter horses, and Ronnie spoke to David Miller. David said he would commit to What The Hill for the rest of the year, I think, and after this race I’m sure he will. That’s what is very important with young trotters. You need a consistent driver behind them.”