Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Allamerican Inca Heads Hempt Memorial
Sturdy Gelding Looks to Win Pocono Feature This Saturday

May 25, 2005

Allamerican Inca is the early favorite in the $169,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial Pace at Pocono Downs in Pennsylvania. He won his elimination race on May 21 by two lengths over With Anticipation in 1:52.1, and will have Dave Palone in the sulky in the final this coming Saturday, May 28.

Allamerican Inca is owned by the Adam Victor & Son Stable, and was second to Village Jolt in last year’s Breeders Crown for two-year-old male pacers and won divisions of the International Stallion and Bluegrass stakes. His $390,163 in earnings for 2004 ranked four among all two-year-old male pacers in North America.

"He is by no means rugged looking–he’s a gelding–but he’s filled out some," Palone said. "He’s a very streamlined individual, not a muscle-bound colt. But he’s a wonderful horse to drive. He has a high turn of speed. He’s the fastest horse I’ve ever driven from here to there. It would be nice to see the small guy make it big."

Allamerican Inca prefers to race from off the pace and has what Palone described as a "wicked" move when asked to go. In winning the Bluegrass, for example, Allamerican Inca was in eighth place, seven lengths off the lead, before blazing to a 26.1-second final quarter mile and one-length victory in 1:53.2.

"He’s a much better follower than on the lead," Palone said. "He’s a good finisher. That might hurt him because the big races are often won by the horses up front that control the race. He doesn’t have that tactical early speed. His strong suit isn’t cutting a mile; if he goes to the front he kind of waits on horses, loses focus. As he gets racier and stronger, hopefully that won’t be a problem. He qualified on the front end and he was fine, but coming from off the pace has always worked so well we never changed it."

Allamerican Inca isn’t eligible to the North America Cup, but is eligible to the Meadowlands Pace. Palone would like to avoid the other big colts in the division until closer to the Meadowlands Pace.

"I think the thing he has going for him is that he’s kind of laying in the weeds here in Pennsylvania," Palone said. "I would like to see him not have as rugged a schedule as Rocknroll Hanover and Village Jolt or bump heads with them. The key race is the Meadowland;s Pace. The best way for him might be to dodge those horses and come into the race a tad fresher."

Palone also won the other Hempt Memorial elim with Up Front Jerry, who has won two of three starts this year. Up Front Jerry was a nose better than P-Forty-Seven in 1:51.4. Favorite Robin Of Locksley went off stride and failed to advance to the final. Other finalists are Superbe Character, Open Shot, Syncro’s Z Tam, Up Front Tornado and Allamerican Apache.