Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Hop Sing wins Presidential, Marced Card takes Complex

Saturday, January 28, 2006

It took “perfect Pierce piloting” and an explosive stretch surge for Hop Sing to capture the $106,680 Presidential Final on Saturday night at the Meadowlands. Hop Sing paced the fifth-race mile in a stakes record 1:48.3, the fastest winter mile, on a windless, 45-degree night. Hop Sing evaded a breaking Shu Hanover and caught Rare Jewel for a length and a quarter tally. Casimir Camotion was third by three lengths.

“We wound up in the three-hole; it was a pretty good trip,” said Pierce, who won his fourth Presidential. “Dave’s [Miller with Shu Hanover] horse made a bad break, I almost went over his wheel and came almost to a complete stop. We had plenty of racetrack and the rail opened up. He took off. He just exploded in the stretch.”

Hop Sing, trained by Ettore Annunziata, was claimed by his son, Richard Annunziata of Mahopac, New York, for $125,000 on December 3, 2005. The five-year-old gelding by The Panderosa now has two wins in four starts this year for earnings of $80,840. His lifetime bankroll now stands at $295,984.

“I got lucky; the horse in front of us broke or it looks like we would have been locked in,” said Ettore Annunziata. “Everything went our way tonight. It was a great drive by Ron Pierce. He has the Isle of Capri [at Pompano Park] next. The last two or three starts, he’s been getting better and better. I thought he’d be good tonight but he would need a little luck.

Marced Card won the $80,000 Complex Final on a disqualification. Seeyouinmydreams was first across the wire in 1:51.4 but disqualified to third for drifting out into the path of and hooking wheels near the wire with Fate’s Place who was placed second. Marced Card, a four-year-old son of Cam’s Card Shark, posted his first win with two thirds in four starts this year. The victory pushed Marced Card’s career earnings to $142,354.

“He’s got a good trainer, Steve LeBlanc,” said winning driver Cat Manzi. “He and I are lucky together. I went with one of Ken Rucker’s horses last week. When I didn’t get one in the final, he [LeBlanc] was kind enough to put me back on him. I know I like him.”
Marced Card races for Michael Perpall of Holliston, Massachusetts and Jeffrey Franklin of Felton, Delaware.

“He’s a nice horse,” said trainer LeBlanc. “We purchased him in the fall for $100,000. He got a rough trip last week with the cover stalling out. These Card Sharks get better with age. They’re tough. He has more series here and the Isle of Capri [at Pompano]. We’ll make some decisions this week.”

$106,680 Presidential Final Saturday, January 28 The Meadowlands
H-PP Horse Driver
1-1 Hop Sing Ron Pierce
6-6 Rare Jewel Brian Sears
5-5 Casimir Camotion Gingars
2-2 Mypanmar J Campbell
4-4 Quality Western Ledford
7-7 Foxy Maneuver AMiller
3-3 Shu Hanover D Miller
:26 :53.1 1:20.4 1:48.3*
*Stakes Record

$80,000 Complex Final Saturday, January 28 The Meadowlands
H-PP Horse Driver
6-6 Marced Card C Manzi
8-9 Fate's Place D Miller
2-1 Seeyouinmydreams Ldfd
9-10 Crazy For Ever Pierce
5-5 True Force G Brennan
3-3 Bolero Taishi Dan Dube
7-8 Mr Delite Ron Pierce
1-2 Pandarin Duck B Sears
4-4 Dave Aint Here Cmpbll
1A-7 Sand Sax Pat Berry
:27.1 :55 1:23 1:51.4