Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Governor's Cup Field Now Set

November 26, 2006

Always A Virgin and Takeshigemichi earned the right to pick their post positions for the $450,000 Governor’s Cup Final on December 2 at the Meadowlands. With the first choice, Takeshigemichi’s connections opted for post two while Always A Virgin will leave from post three next Saturday.

Always A Virgin found room up the pylons and nipped 3-5 Sutter Hanover to win the second race, the first of the two $20,000 Governor’s Cup Eliminations, by a neck. It was a length and three quarters back to Hagi third.
Jim’s Guy and Digital Z Tam also advanced to the final.

Always A Virgin, driven by Andy Miller and trained by Josh Green, is a homebred son of Western Ideal, racing for Joseph A. Hurley’s Roll The Dice Stable of Wilmington, Delaware. The colt now has three wins and two seconds in nine starts for $44,636 in earnings. He paced the mile in a lifetime best of 1:52.1.

"He got a good trip and raced real well,” said Green. “Andy [Miller] gave him a great drive. He is a big colt. It took him a while to come into his body. We took it slow with him. We will shut him down after this [Governor’s Cup Final]."

Takeshigemichi was not happy sitting in the two-hole but once driver Daniel Dube released him off the pylons with a sixteenth to go, he flew to the lead and held off the challenge of 3-5 favorite Artzina to win the second division, the third race, by a half-length in 1:53 flat. Ghee’s House was third by a length and a quarter. Honky Tonk Hanover and Pandoras Sox also made the cut.

Trained by Anthony Mannino, Takeshigemichi improved his record to four wins, one second and two thirds from 11 starts, earning $53,212. An $80,000 Lexington Select Sale purchase, he races for Glenn K. Berger’s Lightning Stable of Millstone, New Jersey. The two-year-old son of The Panderosa out of the Matt’s Scooter mare Bet Me Hanover sold with the name Best Bet Hanover.

The top five from each division advance to the $450,000 Governor’s Cup Final for pacing colts and geldings which along with the $439,000 Three Diamonds for pacing fillies, $410,000 Goldsmith Maid for trotting fillies and $432,700 Valley Victory for trotting colts and geldings make up the $1.7 million Fall Final Four for two-year-olds on December 2 at the Meadowlands.