WASHINGTON, PA, July 27, 2019 — Tall Drink Hanover exploited her post position advantage to nip harness racing world champion Warrawee Ubeaut in Saturday's $120,000 Quinton Patterson Adioo Volo at The Meadows. Stonebridge Soul captured her third straight stake in the other division of the event for 3-year-old filly pacers
Warrawee Ubeaut won her divisional Dan Patch Award last year, but in the Adioo Volo, she was stuck with post 9. She rocketed to the top, but Tall Drink Hanover leaving from post 6 for Andrew McCarthy slid into the pocket behind her. McCarthy guided Tall Drink Hanover outside in the lane, and the daughter of Captaintreacherous-Take Into Accounted edged Warrawee Ubeaut by a nose in 1:50.2. Rockn Philly was a ground-saving third.
"She's been terrific for what we paid for her — $35,000," said winning trainer Tony Alagna. "She's been a real sweetheart. She goes next to the Shady Daisy on Hambletonian Day, and she's eligible to everything late."
Tall Drink Hanover now has banked $469,422 for owners Alagna Racing LLC, Marvin Katz and Riverview Racing.
Stonebridge Soul entered the Adioo Volo off wins in a pair of prestigious stakes — the Lynch and the Mistletoe Shalee — and she kept the ball rolling with a front-end score in 1:51.1 for Tim Tetrick, trainer Chris Ryder and owners Henderson Farms and Robert Mondillo. Sweet Heaven finished second, 1/2 length back, with Odds On St Lucie third..
"She's definitely on her game right now, and she's feeling her oats," Tetrick said. "She can leave hard and still go the half in a minute. As soon as you talk to her, she picks it back up and races whoever comes at her."
The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Rock N Soul now boasts $473,846 in career earnings.
$50,000 Foiled Again Invitational Pace
Also featured on the Adios Day card was this event named for Foiled Again, who retired as the richest pacer all-time with more than $7.6 million in earnings. The gallant old gent took a star turn by leading the post parade.
Tetrick and trainer Ron Burke collaborated on a win by the Shadow Play-Backstreet Sweetie four-year-old gelding Backstreet Shadow, who altered a line in The Meadows' record books by lowering that division standard to 1:48.4. The pocket-sitting Scott Rocks was second, 3-1/4 lengths back, while Alluneedisfaith N completed the ticket.
Backstreet Shadow
A simple quarter-move from third was the path to success for Backstreet Shadow, who came home in :53.4 after winning in 1:47.4 last week at the Meadowlands. He raised his lifetime earnings to $334,646 for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Lawrence Karr, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby.
That group acquired Backstreet Shadow privately shortly after he was clocked in 1:46.2 while finishing third in the $250,000 Graduate final.
"When he became available, we were very surprised because young horses like that with that kind of upside don't usually become available," Burke said. "He's a big horse, and he probably has another bump coming. He's a big, long-striding horse, and he may find another gear."
By Evan Pattak for The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association