The invitational trot at M1 last night offered up a good example of why it's risky betting trainers driving their stock early in the year. Trond Smedshammer drove Dejarmbro (1-2) in his seasonal debut. The horse was very sharp in prep races. Mike Lachance handled last week's winner Lanson (4-1). Trond hit the quarter in 29 as Lachance sat last (5th). Then, without any pressure from the outside, Trond went the second quarter in 27.3 and the third in 27.1. Lachance was still last with Lanson into the last turn and the horse in front of him was gapped four lengths. The track was off and the pace unnecessarily fast so they came home in 30.1 with Dejarmbro dropping anchor in the last sixteenth and falling back to third behind Beatgoeson Hanover. Lanson flew right by them.
As the field rounded the last turn it looked like Dejarmbro was a winner and Lanson was just too far back, but Lachance knew what he was doing. Trond had cooked his trotter in the middle half for no good reason.
Smedshammer drove Dejarmbro in his first seven starts last year, before Sears took over, so we probably have more of this to look forward to.
