Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Gingras talks about his Cutler & Graduate Drives

May 20, 2005

The $180,000 Cutler shares the spotlight with the $225,000 Graduate Final on Saturday night, May 21 at The Meadowlands. Yannick Gingras has drives in both events.

On Hurri Kane Billy G
"He's gotten better as the year has gone on," driver Yannick Gingras said of Hurri Kane Billy G. "He's not too fluid-gaited, but he's going with it. If you race against the top-level horses like Mr Muscleman, you have to be able to leave. You can't trot a first quarter in 31 seconds and think you're going to beat them. Mr Muscleman is obviously going to be tough to beat and at least I'm confident I can stay within range of him without using my horse too hard. Hurri Kane Billy G will give him a sprint for his money. I know if he stays close enough he can trot a final quarter in 27 seconds and a piece."

Mr Muscleman, the 2004 Dan Patch Award winner as Older Trotter of the Year, is rated the 6-5 favorite in the Cutler. Hurri Kane Billy G is the 4-1 second choice. Each won his Cutler elim with Hurri Kane Billy G taking his lifetime mark of 1:53. The four-year-old son of Donerail has already had a busy 2005 with four wins, four seconds and two thirds in 13 starts, racing well but coming up a little short in three Winter Series Finals at the Big M.

"In the Horse & Groom Final on March 13, he was way too far back and he put in a really good rally," said Gingras. "In the Su Mac Lad Final on April 10, I don't think I would have caught Don Boss Vita and Mr Muscleman in a 1:52.1 mile."

Hurri Kane Billy G has eight wins, 11 seconds and five thirds from 38 career starts for a bankroll of $288,106 for the ownership of the Two H's Farm of Jupiter, Florida; Double Down Stable of Colts Neck, New Jersey and Anthony Lombardi Jr. of Fairfield, New Jersey.

On Mini Me
Gingras also has a mount, Mini Me, in the $225,000 Graduate Final, the seventh race on Saturday night. Mini Me, who has banked more than $1.1 million lifetime, has been winless since 2003.

"Mini Me was disappointing last week--finishing fifth to Holborn Hanover in his Graduate elimination," Gingras said. "I thought he was going to be competitive at the top level this year. He just wasn't as sharp as his first start of the year when he was third to Boulder Creek in 1:49.2 on April 30. I was thinking something good was going to happen this season after that mile. Ed Hart is a top trainer and maybe he can get him better this week."