Meadowlands rookies

[maywoodmaniac]

I know the Meadowlands takes pride with its drivers colony and they were promoting the kids earlier in the meet. 

With Pierce crossing the river for more money - just like Sears and Brennan did before him - and with Campbell suffering that freak ice skating accident,  you would think Scott Zeron, Joe Bongiorno or Trace Tetrick might have taken advantage of the opportunity to step up.

Maybe too much was expected of Zeron or maybe he had everything go his way up in Toronto. I read the story saying he was getting the fifth best horse to drive in the race, and he was just happy to be at the Big M and learning.

So far I think he's a bust.  Good drivers find a way to improve or move up their horses and he hasn't done it yet.  There are times where he simply looks lost.  Maybe he's still adjusting to life in the States.  The good thing is he's young and has time on his side. But it's hard to put money on him, especially on Saturday nights.

Bongiorno is 19 and he drives like it.  He has his moments, good and bad, and he's learning.  But when I watch him on Saturday nights, he rarely looks comfortable. And some times with a speed horse, he's driving the first quarter like it's the stretch drive.

Trace looks lost and overmatched.  I can't remember him winning a Saturday night race and with 6 wins all meet, his confidence is shattered.  You have to figure he's counting the days until Hoosier reopens.

[Headpole Dave]

I think Zeron has even fine for a rookie that hasn't been signed on for a true power stable. Look at a couple of top guys and the stables they drive for:

Gingras - 67 wins     Drives for Burke - 38 wins.  Top Call in many races
D Miller - 43 wins     Drives for Ford - 11 wins. Top Call in many races.                     
                              Drives for Harris - 7 wins.

A Miller - 25 wins     Drives for Julie - 11 wins almost half of total

Considering that Yannick, Tetrick, Dave Miller are all world drivers and have power stables behind them, Zeron is doing well... He'd be better than Andy if Andy didn't have his own stable. He's sitting fourth in place position finishes, and second in show finishes... That tells me he is putting his horses in good spots but just not quite good enough to win. I think he's done well but needs to be a little but more aggressive... Think he's actually fit in quite well for a rookie. Not having Sears, Pierce and Brennan there has helped him for sure, but he's held his own.

[KEVS]

Have to agree with the Maniac on all fronts. Zeron has been on alot
of mid priced horses 3-1 / 6-1 and running 3rd does make me any money.
Seems happy to run third. I am sure he will get better in time but for
now he is a tough win bet. 
 

[maywoodmaniac]

Hey Dave, I think you make valid points.

You obviously do your homework and support your opinion well with the stats.

Callahan is getting the job done for Lewis.  I could be wrong but I think all of Irvine's 11 wins have been with Bongiorno.  And Zeron has done some driving for Alagna and has won with Abelard Hanover a couple of times recently.

When I have time to play the Meadowlands, it's only on Saturdays.  From what I've seen, Zeron isn't getting the job done.

[Headpole Dave]

You're right, he's a tough win bet at the moment, and I appreciate your kind words... He frustrates me by times as he prefers to come from off the pace mostly, and sometimes he's just too far back to be anything but third... Using him at the bottom of your exotics is a play I like right now as he often get a price horse in to third or fourth. As the season progresses, I think you'll see him improve.

Callahan has been very impressive - can be ultra aggressive at the right times which I like. Another guy that could be an elite driver if he picked up some top trainer's account.

[maywoodmaniac]

Frustrating is a good choice of words to describe Zeron at the moment.  Case in point:

The 12th race last Saturday, he picks up a drive on the class dropping Arthur, who looks like he has a shot for the back end of the Exacta or Tri.  Horse is in form with some big late moves at Yonkers so you figure the bigger track and longer stretch will help him.  Keep in mind the horse won off the pace 4 starts back with a 1:56.1 mile over NW25000 and this was a B2 race.

Despite showing no speed on his lines, Zeron leaves like a bat out of hell and the horse was done long before he broke stride halfway down the stretch.

When something like that happens, all you can do is scratch your head and go "huh"?

And no sour grapes here. I had the winner and would have preferred Alsace Hanover to finish ahead of Tarpon Hanover, but that would have required Andrew McCarthy to do something... and that's a story for another time.

[CyberChamp]

I agree with you guys about Zeron.  I think I'm still trying to figure out what his niche is.  Speed doesn't seem to be his game and I see him making fundamental mistakes coming from off the pace.  I also don't see him putting horses in a position to win, staying in when he should pull.

If races are going to be won or loss by a nose, I see him on the wrong side of the coin.

I was never a big fan of Trace, even in the Midwest.  Time for Timmy to kick him off the couch so he can move back to Hoosier.

Bongiorno has his moments.  I think he's best near the lead with a trip.  I don't think he rates well on the lead or coming from off the pace.  His drive on NOTREADYTOBENICE was horrible on Fri in race 4.  He had clearance in the stretch to make a move on the outside, but ducks to the inside and then gets squeezed.  I've had some nice payouts with him winning, so I guess I shouldn't complain.

Nice analysis, Dave.  I'm a numbers guy and can appreciate that stuff.

[LVGaryD]

I agree Dave. Great job analyzing these guys. I think the young guns will learn in a few years from driving with the top guys. Look how many great drivers Dave Palone has taught invaluable lessons to. Driving with Yannick, David Miller, and Tim Tetrick, these young guns will learn if they have a brain.

CC, I never minded betting Trace Tetrick in Indiana, but there is a whole different breed of drivers out east, even without Pierce, Sears, and Brennan.

By the way, I certainly do not blame those guys for racing at Yonkers. They all probably are stashing $$$ away for retirement.

[careless hal]

You guys forgot about my favorite Marcus Miller.His drive Saturday on Little Bitty Lies  made me some dough.

HN    Horse    PP    1/4    1/2    3/4    Str    Finish   Actual   LQ   Odds    Driver    Trainer
2    Perfect Alliance    2    2/1H    1/1Q    1/1    1/1H    1/4   1:52.2    28.1   *0.30     Andy Miller    Julie Miller
5    Little Bitty Lies    5    4/5H    4/4    4/3Q    4/3H    2/4   1:53.1    28.2   42.40     Marcus Miller    Erv Miller
1    Time To Quit    1    1/1H    2/1Q    3/1H    3/3H    3/4H   1:53.1    28.4   E3.50     Yannick Gingras    Ron Burke
4    Ray Hall    4    3/3Q    3/2H    2°/1    2/1H    4/4T   1:53.2    29.0   9.20     Tim Tetrick    Mark Harder

Earlier he had a winner for trainer Brian Ficher

HN    Horse    PP    1/4    1/2    3/4    Str    Finish   Actual   LQ   Odds    Driver    Trainer
8    Quik Magic    7    2/T    3/3    5/3    4/2Q    1/H   1:51.1    27.1   17.70     Marcus Miller    Brian Fisher
3    Stars Above    3    1°/T    2/1H    3/1H    2/1    2/H   1:51.1    27.3   1.50     Tim Tetrick    Bill Mac Kenzie
4    Exit Cam    4    3°/1H    1/1H    1/1H    1/1    3/2Q   1:51.3    28.1   *1.30     Andy Miller    Julie Miller
1    New Kind    1    4/2Q    5/4H    6/4Q    6/3    4/3Q   1:51.4    27.3   17.20     Yannick Gingras    Les Givens
9    Kostas Wine    8    8/9T    8/8Q    8/5H    8/4    5/3Q   1:51.4    27.2   8.90     Corey Callahan    Mark Ford
6    Bigrisk    5    6/6H    6°/6Q    4°/2T    5/2H    6/5   1:52.1    28.1   29.50     Andrew McCarthy    Virgil Morgan Jr
2    Nathaniel B    2    5/4Q    4°/4H    2°/1H    3/2Q    7/6Q   1:52.2    28.4   7.30     David Miller    Gordon Barrett
7    American Paparazzi    6    7/8Q    7°/7T    7°/4Q    7/3T    8/11Q   1:53.2    29.1   54.30     Joe Bongiorno    Thomas Di Bartolo
5    Shadow Margeaux    SCR    SK                SCR                  Bruce Saunders
Time:    27.3   55.2    (27.4)   1:23.2    (28.0)   1:51.1    (27.4)   
HN    Horse    Driver   Win    Place    Show    
8    Quik Magic    Marcus Miller   37.40    11.00    4.00    
3    Stars Above    Tim Tetrick       3.20    2.20    
4    Exit Cam    Andy Miller           2.60    
Win, Place, Show Pool: $85,299    
 Wager Type    Numbers/Payouts   Pool    
 Exacta    (8-3 $143.60)   $96,487    
 Trifecta    (8-3-4 $370.00)   $82,829    
1st   Quik Magic  (4, G   Quik Pulse Mindale - Magical Life - Badlands Hanover)
Registered Owner(s)/Lessee(s):  Gloria Kinnamon - MD
Breeder(s):  Winbak Farm - MD
**   View Top 3 Finishers (+)

All told he had one winner a second and 3 thirds Saturday. 

[maywoodmaniac]

Hal, I don't consider Marcus a rookie since I remembered him driving there last year.

What I didn't know until I looked it up was that he won 21 of 222 drives, which was good for ninth in the driver standings.

That drive he put on Quik Magic was a veteran move.

[maywoodmaniac]

I wonder if these guys read this board. Zeron had a great week with 7 wins, including 3 on Saturday.  Congrats on the progress.  What was impressive last night was how he got the job done.

He took advantage of a jump by See And Ski and a bad effort by Burkentine Hanover to win the 1st with Ontario Success. Big stretch move reminded me of some races his dad won in the past when he would come to Chicago in the winter and drive at Hawthorne.

Wake Up Peter didn't look good warming up but SZ got there in the final stride.  And he absolutely stole it on the front end with Big Art in the 13th.

Joe Bongiorno learned a new move this week.  You can't drive with your foot in mouth Joe.  Rookie mistake so move on.  Next week will be better.

Another tough Saturday night for Trace.  Gets one more chance before going home to Indiana.  Redemption time?

[Headpole Dave]

I was lucky and caught Zeron on Ontario Success. I'd been watching him race at Woodbine and knew he had a good shot with the right trip... Still kicking myself that I didn't play him over the whole field as I had planned.

He had a solid night, the drive on a listless looking Wake up Peter was perfect.

I hope this week opens his eyes and puts him " over the top."  I liked how he seemed to have the perfect mix of aggressiveness and intelligence. The horses that he had that had a shot were all put in a spot to succeed. Pierce almost wired them in the distance race! Solid week for the Z man.

[Just Saying]

He had a solid night, the drive on a listless looking Wake up Peter was perfect.

Tony said that Wake Up Peter was always a total 'Sybill'... you never knew which personality was going to show up. He'd race like a monster, then one week later he couldn't out-run a fat man in an overcoat. Or he might decide to throw in a nasty break for no reason... or sulk at half speed for an entire mile. Just a trainer's nightmare.

[Headpole Dave]

Zeron had this posted as his "driving schedule" on his Facebook page today:

Meadowlands- Friday + Saturday
Pocono- Sunday + Tues + Wed
Chester/Philly- Sun/Wed/Thurs/Fri (might leave early to make pocono)
Yonkers- Monday

That's the plan, still need drives lol

[KEVS]

All it takes is for me to bad mouth someone and they make me look bad.
Zeron looked like a different driver this week.  Made all the right moves.
All I can say is congrats on a big weekend Mr. Zeron.