by Paul Ramlow, USTA Internet News Manager

East Rutherford, NJ — Windsun Galliano overcame post 10 by trotting off cover on the final turn to capture the $51,000 Super Bowl series final for 4-year-old trotters in a stakes record 1:53.4 on Saturday night (Jan. 26) at Meadowlands Racetrack.

Lisa photo

Andy Miller piloted Windsun Galliano to a stakes record 1:53.4 score in the Super Bowl final.

Andy Miller was in the bike for his wife, trainer Julie Miller, as the Ken Warkentin-Sa Mariposa gelding posted his third win in four season’s starts, lifting his 2013 earnings to $37,750 for owners Tracy Brainard, James Harper Jr. and Elizabeth Harper.

Opening leg winner Where To Hanover and David Miller were the fastest off the gate in this field of 10 and hit the opening quarter in a time of :27, before yielding to Helios and Yannick Gingras at the :56.3 half-mile marker.

Helios, the other of trainer Julie Miller’s starters in the Super Bowl, continued to lead the field to the three-quarters in 1:25.4 with Wisenheimer (Corey Callahan), who posted wins in both legs of the series, offering pressure first over on the outside and Windsun Galliano now second over behind that cover in fourth place.

As the trotters entered the stretch, Helios put away Wisenheimer and was still strong on the front end, but he was passed late in the mile by Windsun Galliano ($9.20), who crossed the wire in the stakes record time of 1:53.4. Helios held on for second, 1-1/2 lengths behind the winner, and Where To Hanover earned the show dough.

“They’re both very good horses,” said Andy Miller of stablemates Windsun Galliano and Helios, both of which he drove in the two preliminary legs of the series. “It was a tough decision which one to drive (in the final), but I thought Yannick would get along good with the other horse (Helios) and this horse (Windsun Galliano) is a little tougher to get off the gate, so I took him. He worked out a great trip; it couldn’t have worked out any better for us.

“I don’t know if he’s ready to step up with the best horses, but he’s going to go a long ways because he’s a long winded horse and he trots nice.”