Casie Coleman will
get her shot at Saturday’s $1 million Meadowlands Pace and
attempt to be the first woman trainer to win it.
Coleman trains
American Ideal who finished fifth in one of the Pace
eliminations last Saturday at the Meadowlands. American
Ideal, a son of Western Ideal, and owned by Mac Nichol of
Edmonton and Brittany Farms of the U.S., was driven by
John Campbell. They used a strong finish to land one of
the 10 spots in the final despite starting from the
nine-post.
Leading X Ample
slipped up the pylons and caught Cam’s Fool in the final
strides to win by a head in the first of the two elims, in
1:50.1. George At Bigs was third, Allamerican Inca fourth
and Load The Dice fifth to advance.
Stonebridge Regal
upset 1-5 favorite Rocknroll Hanover for a ¾ -length
margin in 1:49.3 in the other elim. Longshot Team Hutch
finished a length back in third with Village Jolt fourth
and American Ideal fifth.
It was the second
race at the East Rutherford oval for Coleman, a
25-year-old native of B.C., who competed as a driver and
trainer at Fraser Downs. American Ideal, who was eighth in
the North America Cup at Woodbine, got his first taste of
the Meadowlands on July 2 in a $22,000 condition pace and
won by 2½ lengths in 1:50.1.
Unfortunately, this
Saturday Casie and her star pupil will have to overcome
another post 10 to accomplish the feat.
At Tuesday’s news
conference to select the post positions, it came down to
two peas left – the 10 and the one, with two horses names
yet to be drawn – American Ideal and Village Jolt. And
just like in last month’s $1.5 million North America Cup
final, American Ideal drew the dreaded 10.
Coleman, who is now
based in Dundas, Ont., already has more than 100 wins this
year with most of her races at Woodbine racetrack in
Toronto.
OO LA LA: La
Ocasey made an impression in his first start in B.C.
The four-year-old
gelded son of Jate Lobell captured, in convincing fashion,
one of the two $3,000 eliminations for the Oak Tree Stakes
for three-and four-year-old colts last Saturday.
Trained and driven
by Dave Hudon, La Ocasey, a 16-1 shot, won by a length,
covering the mile in 1:56.1. It was his fastest time,
coming in his third win in eight starts, of the year. He
had made seven starts at Northlands in Edmonton.
La Ocasey, owned by
Nigel Holmes and Kelly Hudon, was well back early (sixth
at the quarter) but started a move outside before the
half. He was fifth (five back) after three quarters but a
29.2 second last quarter propelled him to the victory.
Thisisbliss, another
newcomer who most recently raced at the Meadowlands, led
from the start before caught in the stretch and finished
second. Better Days, the even-money favorite was third and
Western Promise fourth.
There was also a
milder surprise in the other elim when Dancelikeahos set a
lifetime mark of 1:57.2 in winning by three quarters of a
length.
Owned by Ray Soh,
trained by Rick Lancaster and driven by Gord Abbott,
Dancelikeahos, a 6-1 choice, sat in the two-hole most of
the way before pulling to run down even-money favorite
Rambo Pass who had led to the head of the stretch.
Longshot Tahuya Emory A closed strongly for second, Lunar
Tko slipped into third and Rambo Pass got the last spot in
the final.
Dancelikeahos, a
three-year-old son of Dancing Puddles, now has won three
in 10 starts in 2005.
Despite his win and
two-hole spot on the gate in Sunday’s $20,200 final,
Dancelikeahos is only third choice in the morning line
odds. La Ocasey, part of an entry with Rambo Pass that is
the 3-1 favorite, will start from the five spot while
Thisisbliss, despite the outside seven hole, is the 7-2
second choice.
HUDON HOT:
Dave Hudon has taken early command of the driver and
trainer honors at Sandown.
Last weekend Hudon
picked up four victories – two each day of the weekend –
to run his totals to eight as a driver and six as a
trainer.
Andy Arsenault and
Gord Abbott each had two driving wins to share second spot
for the weekend. Bill Davis is second at the meet with
five wins while Abbott and Scott Knight each have four.
Bill Young had two
victories – both on Sunday -- as a conditioner, the only
person other than Hudon to have more than one. He also has
three for the meet to be closest to Hudon.
Meanwhile, talk
about a Davy N Goliath story.
Patricia Fleming,
who has been working with veteran trainer Wendell Smith
and learning the trade, recently obtained her trainer’s
licence. She also picked up an ownership share with Smith
of the three-year-old colt Davy N Goliath.
The son of Goliath
Bayama out of the Cam Fella mare Elite Betty Ann now has
made two starts at Sandown under the care of Fleming.
The results are a
second, and a win on July 9 in a claiming $6,000,
non-winners two event.
The quick start for
Fleming, a resident of Aldergrove, has given her an
astounding .777 universal rating.
HORSE TALES:
Woodmere Windrop, the 11-year-old son of Drop Off has won
two straight – the 52nd and 53rd of his fine career – at
Sandown. Woody has used two late rallies for the wins for
trainer Bill Young.
Red Star Ginny, a
three-year-old daughter of Pacific Rocket, returned from
Northlands where she was in seven races including the
Compass Rose. Her results there were a shade disappointing
but she quickly displayed her fondness for Sandown by
winning in a lifetime mark of 1:56.4 for trainer Clint
Warrington.
Lucky Jenny, a
four-year-old daughter of Camluck, also likes Sandown. She
made it two straight, winning in a lifetime clocking of
1:55.2 for trainer Dave Hudon.
As Noted and Smart
Line N each had made 18 starts in 2005 without a win but
that ended last Sunday as they paced to victory in
impressive fashion.
