Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

May June Character wins 41st Adios Final

August 11, 2007

The Final
May June Character captured the 41st Adios final in 1:51.1 Saturday afternoon at The Meadows. May June Character sat fifth with George Brennan until the three-quarter mile marker when he came three-wide and surged on the outside of horses to win in a dramatic finish.

The First Elim
Kinetic Yankee, with driver Andy Miller making his Adios debut, won the first Adios elim in1:51.3 by a nose over longshot May June Character.
Kinetic Yankee, owned by Brittany Farms, Fred Mansoor, Martha Frank and John Fodera, is trained by Erv Miller, who won last year’s Adios in an upset with Cactus Creek.

“They were going pretty good fractions,” said Andy Miller. “We got away good and were able to stay up close. I could see Tim (Tetrick)’s horse (Southwind Lynx) was coming up empty in the turn. It looked like his feet were stinging him. It was pretty iffy there for awhile, but my horse took off when we got room.”

The Second Elim
Meadows-based trainer Mickey Burke, celebrating his 71st birthday, nailed the second Adios elim, but not with the horse everyone expected. He had just purchased Watta Hotshot for a group of local owners last week, and that colt was sent off the 1-2 favorite. Burke actually had three in the second elim, and two in the first, and finished one-two-three in the second, with the choice third.

Won The West, who was sent to Burke from Ohio trainer Brian Brown for a few engagements, got a perfect trip from Greg Grismore (like Andy Miller, making his Adios debut) to get up by a half-length in 1:51.4 over stablemates Pan Giovanni and Watta Hotshot.

Won the West, owned by Ohioans Strollin Stable, William Robinson and James Koehler, came into the Adios with 11 wins in 17 starts, all this year.

“He had been racing off the pace, but we started racing him closer to the front and he seemed to like it better,” said Grismore. “He can go either way. I was able to follow Georgie Brennan (with Yankee Skyscaper), and he got me where I wanted to go. It was a perfect trip -- we were covered up most of the way.”

The $320,125 Adios Final The Meadows: Race 15
PP Horse                          Driver
3 May June Character        G Brennan
1 Won The West                Greg Grismore
4 Pan Giovanni                 Tony Hall
2 Kinectic Yankee              Andy Miller
5 Pandoras Sox                 J Campbell
6 B Blissfull                      Don Rothus
7 Sutter Hanover               David Miller
8 Watta Hotshot                Dave Palone
:26.4      :54.4      1:22.1      1:51.1

The 41st Adios Elim The Meadows: Race Ten
PP Horse                     Driver
5 Kinetic Yankee           Andy Miller
6 May June Character G Brennan
8 Sutter Hanover          David Miller
4 B Blissfull                  Don Rothus
:26.1      :54      1:22.4      1:51.3

The 41st Adios Elims The Meadows: Race 11
Post Horse           Driver
6 Won The West      Greg Grismore
1 Pan Giovanni        Tony Hall
4 Watta Hotshot       Dave Palone
2 Pandora’s Sox      John Campbell
:26.4      :54.4      1:23.1      1:51.4