Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Ponder Wins $225,000 Graduate Final

Ponder & Ron Pierce take the Graduate

May 20, 2006

Ponder paced to the lead mid-backstretch and held off longshot Leading X Ample to win the $225,000 Graduate Final, Saturday night at the Meadowlands in 1:49. It was the third Graduate victory for winning driver Ron Pierce, who won in 2003 with E Dee's Cam and in 1990 with Dorunrun Bluegrass.

“I had a choice either to come first up or move him to the lead,” said Pierce. “The thing to do was take a shot and move to the lead. The horse felt good, and I let the horse pace to the top. I got a bit of a breather on the last turn. I called on him turning for home, and he had plenty of pace."

Ponder, a five-year-old son of The Panderosa, improved his record to three wins in four starts this year and a career total of 14 wins, 13 seconds and four thirds in 40 tries. The winner's share of the purse pushed his bankroll to $989,795 for the partnership of the Robert McIntosh Stables of LaSalle, Ontario; CSX Stables of Liberty Center, Ohio and John D. Fielding of Toronto, Ontario.

“He's come back a real man as a five-year-old,” said Bob McIntosh, trainer of Ponder as well as 1993 Graduate winner Staying Together. “He's a seasoned veteran this year. He's got a good foundation. We turned him out a couple of months and took four or five months to get him ready. He came back good and sound and looking forward to the year. He's a tough competitor. He's like a tough boxer. He can take a punch and keep coming.”

$225,000 Graduate Final The Meadowlands Results Saturday, May 20, 2006
Horse Driver
1 Ponder Ron Pierce
10 Leading X Ample David Miller
8 Casimir Camotion Geo Brennan
5 Whodonit Andy Miller
4 Hop Sing Cat Manzi
6 Jenna's Choice Brian Sears
3 My Panmar J Campbell
7 Georgia Pacific Brad Hanners
2 Quality Western Mike LaChance
9 Pacific Renegade Yannick Gingras
:26 :53.4 1:21.2 1:49