Champion harness racing mare Manchego overcame a trip in which she was parked every step, and she emerged victorious from a blanket finish in the $141,250Ā Arther J. Cutler MemorialĀ atĀ The MeadowlandsĀ on Saturday.
DriverĀ Dexter DunnĀ sent the double millionaire daughter ofĀ Muscle HillĀ out with the leading pack from post nine, but he was unable to find her an inside spot, and the pair remained on the outside through a :26.3 first quarter mile. Guardian Angel As (Tim Tetrick) carved out that fraction on the lead, but Felicityshagwell S (Ake Svanstedt) moved up and took the top spot on the backstretch.
Manchego gained through the second quarter, prompting a re-take of the lead from Guardian Angel As, who completed the half in :54.4. Manchego reached the leader’s bridle as they hit three-quarters in 1:23.2, and those two threw down as they straightened into the stretch. Majestic Player A (Yannick Gingras) joined the battle in the final eighth, closing in on the top two.
As the three hit the finish line together, Manchego produced a final push and stuck her nose in front triumphantly to seal a 1:51.1 victory. Majestic Player A was second in the photo, and Guardian Angel As finished third.
MANCHEGO REPLAY
Manchego was making her improbable six-year-old debut after plans by her owner to retire her were scrapped in the spring.
Owner Barry Guariglia, who operates as Black Horse Racing LLC, said that trainer Nancy Takter persuaded him to reconsider.
“In the early fall – kinda late summer – she had a swoon where she was having some issues, and we said we should definitely maybe kind of finish the season and be done with it,” he said in a post-race interview. “And then obviously she rallied and won out the season, and we still retired her, but Nancy said [Manchego] is really happier on the racetrack than she is in the paddock. That’s kinda what I said right here [in the winner’s circle] – this beats chasing around a paddock.”
The mare has now won 34 of her 57 lifetime starts and earned more than $2.9 million. She has won three Breeders Crown Finals, the Hambletonian Oaks, and many other stakes events.
She paid $11.60 to win.
Jason Settlemoir, the Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of The Meadowlands, echoed Guariglia’s happiness surrounding the horse’s continued racing career.
“Manchego – I’m much happier that she’s on the racetrack instead of in a paddock,” he said after the race. “What an unbelievable mare she is and continues to be.”
The Meadowlands also hosted two $50,000 divisions of theĀ Graduate Series‘ second leg for four-year-old pacers on Saturday night.
Poseidon Seelster took the first division in another tight photo finish.
George BrennanĀ demanded early speed from Poseidon Seelster leaving from post three and got it, taking the three-hole as Warrawee Vital (Tetrick) and Tattoo Artist (Dave Miller) brushed past into the first turn. Warrawee Vital took the lead past the quarter in :26.2 and maintained his advantage in the field of nine through the half in :53.4 and three-quarters in 1:21.
Poseidon Seelster was boxed in turning for home, but she found room on the rail and charged in the stretch. Tattoo Artist also rallied late on the outside, and Warrawee Vital fought on between horses. The trio crossed the line in sync, but the photo showed Poseidon Seelster as the victor. Warrawee Vital was second, and Tattoo Artist finished third.
POSEIDON SEELSTER REPLAY
Poseidon Seelster, a four-year-oldĀ Sunshine BeachĀ gelding, has won 10 races and now earned more than $180,000 across 31 career outings. Nik Drennan trains for the ownership group of Donald Lindsey, Paul Kleinpaste, William Alempijevic, and Garth Betchel. The horse was an upset, paying $30.50.
Ruthless Hanover brushed and crushed in the second division.
The four-year-old pacing gelding started eight-wide and got away fourth for driverĀ Andrew McCarthy. He stayed on the inside through the opening quarter mile in :27 but pulled out behind Allywag Hanover (Miller) and shot to the lead on the backstretch. Ruthless Hanover set middle splits of :53.4 and 1:20.4 and entered the lane with a two-length cushion.
Several foes made late bids, but Ruthless Hanover repelled them all and won by a length in a lifetime-best 1:48. Save Me A Dance (James MacDonald) was best of the seven others, finishing second. Chief Mate (Scott Zeron) was third. The winner returned an even $4.
RUTHLESS HANOVER REPLAY
Ruthless Hanover is now eight-for-14 in his career and has earned more than $115,000 for owner John Cancelliere. Thomas Cancelliere conditions the four-year-old gelding byĀ Somebeachsomewhere.
Soho Burning Love A scored a $30,000 Mares Preferred victory in similar fashion in the sixth race with Tetrick aboard. She made a quarter-pole move after a first split of :27.3, hit the lead, and held it through :55.3, 1:23.0, and 1:48.2 fractions for a half-length victory.
Soho Burning Love A, a seven-year-oldĀ Auckland Reactor NĀ mare, is now 22-for-73 lifetime with earnings exceeding $445,000. Jim King Jr. trains for Joann Looney King of Harrington, Brian Carsey of Connersville, and Jeff Fought Racing of Columbus.
Lovedbythemasses (Gingras) captured a $30,000 Preferred Trot on the front end. Gingras declined to take an inside position with him and pressed on to the lead through a :27.2 quarter. He then consolidated the win with a half in :56, three-quarters in 1:23.4, and final quarter of :27.1 to complete a two-and-a-half-length romp in 1:51, a new lifetime mark.
Pollack Racing LLC of Venetia and Jeffrey Cullipher of Pendleton own the four-year-old son ofĀ Muscle MassĀ that has won 14 of 31 career starts and earned more than $245,000. Cullipher does the training duties.
Wheels On Fire added to a night of nail-biting finishes as he won by a nose in the 13th race, a $30,000 Preferred Handicap.
Gingras urged him to the front into the first turn, swooping in from post six to take up position on the engine. Angers Bayama (McCarthy) ensured that would be short-lived though, as he rushed up to attain command before the quarter mile in :26.1. Wheels On Fire remained patient in the pocket through a :53.4 half and 1:22 three-quarters, then chipped away at the leader’s gap in the stretch. He got by in the final strides and survived a late spurt from Western Joe to win in 1:48.3.
Ron Burke trains Wheels On Fire, a six-year-oldĀ SomebeachsomewhereĀ gelding, for Brad Grant of Milton. The horse improved his record to 27-for-76 with the score and increased his earnings to greater than $455,000.
McCarthy was the night’s top reinsman with four visits to the winner’s circle; he also won the opener with Gardys Legacy A (1:49), the fifth with American History (1:47.2), and 11th with Hot Mess Express (1:50).
The Meadowlands returns on Friday, May 21 with a 6:20 p.m. EDT first post.
For full race results,Ā click here.
by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink