Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Elims Contested at The Big M

May 24, 2008

Cold Cape Cod and Daley Deposit Only captured their eliminations for the $500,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic on Saturday night at the Meadowlands. The top five finishers in each elimination advance to the May 31 final, the richest event for New Jersey-bred racehorses.

The New Jersey Classic for 3-year-old pacing colts shares the spotlight with the $200,00 Thomas D'Altrui Miss New Jersey for fillies that evening.

Cold Cape Cod, who entered the race 0-for-16 lifetime, rallied off a ground-saving journey to pull off a 32-1 shocker in the first of the two eliminations. Driven by David Miller, Cold Cape Cod sat third on the rail as Harley D Hanover led the field through leisurely middle fractions of 57 and 1:25.3. Miller seized an opening in the stretch and Cold Cape Cod surged past Harley D Hanover, sprinting the final quarter in 25.4 seconds, for a three-quarter-length tally.

Dear Mac, who sat a garden trip, finished third. Rudy Rednose and Touch And Go also advanced to the New Jersey Classic Final.

"I got away right where I wanted to be," Miller said. "I knew we were going pretty soft fractions and I just figured I was racing to get qualified. At the top of the stretch, he had pace so I moved him and he got up. Timothy [trainer Tim Torbert] told me that he thought he was probably as good as he was could have him right now. He expected a big effort out of him, but I was very happy with the way he raced. This horse stepped up tonight."

Cold Cape Cod, trained by Tim Torbert, was a $30,000 yearling purchase at the Harrisburg Sale by Robert Messnick of Milford, DE. The son of Artiscape finished second in seven of 13 starts last season, racking up $123,982 in earnings despite his lopsided record. Entering Saturday night's race, he had not picked up a check in three starts this season.

In the second elimination, Daley Deposit Only held off Mr Nice Guy by a nose in 1:51.4.

Mr Nice Guy, with Ron Pierce in tow, was first to the lead in a 27.2 opening quarter, but yielded willingly to Daley Deposit Only and George Brennan, who came three-wide to seize command at the half. Locked in and full of pace, Pierce and Mr Nice Guy were finally able to squeeze through on the inside, but fell a nostril short at the wire. Meant To Be Me rallied off a second-over trip to finish just a neck behind them. McCedes and Yankee Rocketeer also advanced to the final.

"Danny [trainer Dan Daley] told me he trained up good and he wouldn't be short," Brennan said. "He expected a good mile from him and he went a good mile. He was a little hot [behind the gate]. I ran into the gate early and he actually took a few steps behind the gate. I just wanted to float with him but he didn't want any part of that. I tried to stay behind Andy [Miller and Dax Hanover] around the first turn, but it didn't work so I had to go three-wide. Once I got to the top, he relaxed. I got into him in the lane a little bit. Pierce was coming up the inside, but he was game. He really went a good mile. I think he is a major contender in the final."

Trained by Dan Daley, Daley Deposit Only improved his record to four wins in 12 career starts. Daley's wife, Ann-Mari, bred the colt and shares ownership of him with Robert Pergament of Coral Springs, FL; Jared Daley of Douglasville, GA; and Richard Lombardo of Solon, OH.