Driver Dexter Dunn employed a methodical first-over grind for the six-year-old mare Manchego and survived late pressure from a game pacesetter and a surging closer to win the $141,250 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial in 1:51.1 on Saturday (May 15) at The Meadowlands.
In her first start of the season, Dunn floated the Nancy Takter trainee into fifth as Guardian Angel As gunned for the lead to a :26.3 opening quarter. Felicityshagwell S, also flaunting early foot but from an outside post, raced parked and pressed forward into the backstretch to take the lead. Manchego meanwhile crept forward on the rim, forcing the hand of Guardian Angel As to circle from the pocket and retake the lead by a :54.4 half.
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A number of high-profile Standardbreds made solid strides toward a return to the races during the Saturday (April 24) session of qualifiers at The Meadowlands.
Calle Palema (Ake Svanstedt) was a wire-to-wire winner in 1:56.1 over 2020 freshman standouts Zenith Stride (Brian Sears) and In Range (Tim Tetrick). The gelded son of Muscle Hill - Fillyanthropy, a three-time winner as a rookie, took a new lifetime mark for owner Bender Sweden Inc. of Vero Beach, Fl.
Balenciaga didn t make any starts at two, but the $270,000 yearling started on the path to justifying that price tag with a first-over grinding win in 1:56.3. The son of Chapter Seven - Iluvmyjimmychoos was guided to victory by Scott Zeron for trainer Paul Kelley and owners SRF Stable and Crawford Farms. Maverick, harness racing s highest priced yearling by virtue of his $1.1 million sale price, made a break in stride while closing in the stretch.
Freehold Raceway concluded the Vinny Fusco Jr. Memorial Pacing Series this Friday (January 22), with a pair of finals. One saw a logical result, the other an upset.
Tall Poppy N completed a sweep of the second division, for fillies and mares with a TrackMaster Horse Rating between 71.50 and 75.00 at the start of the series. Just like in the first two legs, George Brennan put her on the lead just after the quarter, and set comfortable fractions. In the stretch, she received a stiff challenge from Thaneeya, but Tall Poppy N held her at bay for a half-length win, in 1:56.3. The winner is owned by Curtin Anz Stable and trained by Kelvin Harrison, and paid $4.20 to win.