Only one elim needed for Meadowlands Pace

[RocknRoll]

After working hard to win the Max C. Hempt Memorial last weekend, Captaintreacherous will do no work at all to advance to the final of the Meadowlands Pace.
 
Captaintreacherous was among three horses to receive a bye based on seasonal earnings to the July 13 final after a total of 13 horses entered the race for 3-year-old pacers. A single 10-horse elimination will be held Saturday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack, with the top seven finishers joining Captaintreacherous, Wake Up Peter and Twilight Bonfire in the final.
 
Tony Alagna, who trains Captaintreacherous, was hoping for such a scenario when he decided to skip the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes in Canada and focus on the North America Cup, Hempt and Meadowlands Pace.
 
Captaintreacherous, undefeated in five starts this year with $808,293 in earnings, won the $980,000 North America Cup on June 15 at Mohawk Racetrack and the $500,000 Hempt on June 29 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
 
"When we decided to go to the Hempt, we thought it was possible the Meadowlands Pace could have only the one elimination and we would get a bye,” Alagna said. "Everything has just been falling into place.”
 
The 10 horses that will try to join Captaintreacherous are (in post position order): Someplace Special, Johny Rock, Sir Cary's Z Tam, Sir Richard Z Tam, Sunshine Beach, Resistance Futile, Lonewolf Currier, Rockin Amadeus, Beach Memories and Odds On Equuleus.
 
In the Hempt, Captaintreacherous started from the outermost post – No. 9 – raced three wide around the first turn and then was stuck on the outside the rest of the mile, including three wide coming off the final turn. He won by a neck over Vegas Vacation in 1:49.2 over a track turned sloppy by heavy rain an hour before the race.
 
"I have all the faith in the world in him – I know what kind of horse he is – and he even impressed me,” Alagna said about Captaintreacherous' performance in the Hempt. "And I'm not easily impressed. But that was a monster trip.
 
"He came out of the race super; excellent,” Alagna added. "He's very good.”
 
Captaintreacherous, the defending Pacer of the Year, is the No. 1-ranked horse in harness racing's current Top 10 poll. He has won 13 of 15 career races and earned $1.72 million for the ownership group known as Captaintreacherous Racing.
 
Alagna also trains Wake Up Peter, who is winless in six races this year but has earned $156,225 thanks to third-place finishes in the North America Cup and New Jersey Sire Stakes championship. Alagna said Wake Up Peter will qualify on Saturday at the Meadowlands to prep for the Meadowlands Pace final while Captaintreacherous will enjoy time off.
 
Twilight Bonfire has a win in four starts this year and finished second in the North America Cup. He has earned $304,336 this season for trainer Danny Collins and owner Bob Key.
 
Also on Saturday night two eliminations for the William R. Haughton Memorial for older pacers will be contested. The top five finishers from each elim will advance to the July 13 final.
 
The first division is Golden Receiver, Warrawee Needy, A Rocknroll Dance, Sapphire City, Hugadragon, Heston Blue Chip, Razzle Dazzle, Our Lucky Chip and Foiled Again. The second is Aracache Hanover, Bettor's Edge, Fred And Ginger, Bolt The Duer, Up The Credit, Pet Rock, Hurrikane Kingcole, Dynamic Youth and Sweet Lou.
 
Foiled Again won the $500,000 Ben Franklin Pace last weekend at Pocono Downs to become the first pacer in harness racing history to surpass $5 million in career earnings. Earlier on the same card, Bolt The Duer won in 1:47.4, equaling the fastest mile ever for a pacer on a five-eighths-mile track.
 
Eliminations are unnecessary for the July 13 Mistletoe Shalee for 3-year-old female pacers. The field for the final is (in alphabetical order): Acquavella, Charisma Hanover, I Luv The Nitelife, Jerseylicious, Nikki Beach, Novascotia Hanover and Shebestingin. (HRC)

[cashman]

 

Shouldn't be any byes for a race like this. Don't see the captain at anything over 3/5 in the final.

[LVGaryD]

Shouldn't be any byes for a race like this. Don't see the captain at anything over 3/5 in the final.

Not only shod there not be any byes, they should race heats, with the eventual winner winning twice in one day.

 

[pezz97]

3/5? How about 1/5 like rocknroll said in another thread. The best race pace night will be the Haughton. It is going to be a bad betting card with captain and I luv the nite life being free squares

[cashman]

Never know captain could draw 9 or 10 in the final.

[pezz97]

And it will not matter against who is in against him

[3 wide and wingin]

So it was known? if 13 or less drop in you get byes?
Based on seasonal earnings?

Is there a written rule?

As to when there are byes and not?

And it will be in place next year?

I think the Big M is invested in the Captain.

Probably not a bad idea. The sport needs stars.

Anyone know?

[pezz97]

It really is a shame what this race has become. Many of the top 3 year olds are not even nominated to this one anymore because it has just become another race with the purse going down.

They weren't going to do 2 elims with 7 and 6 and eliminate 1 and 2 horses.

And they can promote how the handle is up over this day last year till they are blue in the face, but this so called "Championship meet" has been an epic failure. Are we going to have 6 c races pace weekend?

[careless hal]

And they can promote how the handle is up over this day last year till they are blue in the face, but this so called "Championship meet" has been an epic failure. Are we going to have 6 c races pace weekend?

So true.  Maybe they are waiting for the new grandstand to turn things up a notch.  Or, at least we can hope. If I make any bets on the Pace at all it will have to be a few bucks on some longys to upset the apple cart.  Don't think that is going to happen but if it does the payouts will be huge.

[tonyb147]

As long as the weather is good and the beer is cold I don't care who is racing or what their odds are. 

[RocknRoll]

As long as the weather is good and the beer is cold I don't care who is racing or what their odds are. 

 

[Gazoo]

And they can promote how the handle is up over this day last year till they are blue in the face, but this so called "Championship meet" has been an epic failure. Are we going to have 6 c races pace weekend?

So true.  Maybe they are waiting for the new grandstand to turn things up a notch.  Or, at least we can hope. If I make any bets on the Pace at all it will have to be a few bucks on some longys to upset the apple cart.  Don't think that is going to happen but if it does the payouts will be huge.

This is a very bad year for  top 3yr old colts ,seems like everybody is a step below the Captian .

My guess is a lot of trainers seen the writing on the wall when they were 2 and decided not to waste money on stake payments.

Besides the Breeders Crown and NA Cup I doubt you will see a star studed field of 3yr olds .

There's no shot the Captian races in the Adios or the Jug and that was told to me by a very good scorce .(im sure he will race in both now) lol

In any other year you could have went out and bought a top 3yr old for big money, but not this year .(everythings 2 steps below CT)

So im not really sure how it's the Meadowlands fault , but you can make a case that the race is not what it use to be .

But its still the Pace !! and i'll be getting drunk with the boys 

[pezz97]

This is a very bad year for  top 3yr old colts ,seems like everybody is a step below the Captian .

My guess is a lot of trainers seen the writing on the wall when they were 2 and decided not to waste money on stake payments.

Besides the Breeders Crown and NA Cup I doubt you will see a star studed field of 3yr olds .

There's no shot the Captian races in the Adios or the Jug and that was told to me by a very good scorce .(im sure he will race in both now) lol

In any other year you could have went out and bought a top 3yr old for big money, but not this year .(everythings 2 steps below CT)

So im not really sure how it's the Meadowlands fault , but you can make a case that the race is not what it use to be .

But its still the Pace !! and i'll be getting drunk with the boys 

[careless hal]

Hope you guys have a blast out there and win some dough.  I'm sure you will.

[dinkadoo]

. A single 10-horse elimination will be held Saturday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack, with the top seven finishers joining Captaintreacherous, Wake Up Peter and

uggh

another reason I hate elimination races where there are no rewards for finishing well.

sitting 4th during the ELIM, do you come first up or sit to assure a good trip so that you can finish 7th or better to make final.....

blah