Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Haughton & Annabell Finals

August 4, 2005

$390,000 Mary Annabell Final            $460,000 Peter Haughton Final
2YO Trotting Fillies: Results                  2YO Trotting Colts: Results
PP Horse Driver                                     PP Horse Driver
5 Miss Wisconsin Mike Lachance                 4 Keystone Saveage Brian Sears
2 Gluteus Maximus George Brennan           9 Lotsa Muscle John Campbell
9 Victor's Finesse Ron Pierce                     5 Love of My Heart Mike Lachance
4 Celebrity Sweedie Brian Sears                1 Ira K Yannick Gingras
7 USA Hornline Per Hornline                    10 Trampledunderfoot Eric Ledford
1a Kstone Gratitude Jan Johnson                7 Maximus Lindy David Miller
8 Lady Caviar Yannick Gingras                   8 Pocono Dream Jan Johnson
1 Cream Pie John Campbell                       3 Blue Mac Lad T Smedshammer
3 Clipspringer David Miller                       2 Peacelovenjoy Daniel Dube
6 KD Girl Jeff Gregory                               6 Quantum King Leo T Andersson
Time: :28 :57.2 1:27.1 1:56.3                 Time: :28.1 :57.2 1:27.1 1:58
Trainer: Ron Gurfein                                 Trainer: Dane Snyder
Owners: Sampson St Stable,                      Owners: T. King III, D. Hartley,
Me Meinsinger, D Scharf & J Silva               L. Stepanian & B. Shoplik

Keystone Savage [$12.00, $6.00, $4.00] picked his way up the pylons and battled Lotsa Muscle [$14.00, $5.40] in the final 70 yards to win by a nose in the $460,000 Peter Haughton Memorial for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, the seventh race on Thursday night at the Meadowlands. Love of My Heart [$11.00] was third by three-quarters of a length. Blue Mac Lad, the 1-2 favorite, broke stride.

Keystone Savage posted his second straight victory, trotting the mile in 1:58. The trotting colt now has four wins and two thirds in eight starts.

"There was a little action up front," said a delighted Brian Sears, the winning driver. "I was stuck and had to be patient. I knew it wasn't over until it was over. I was edging my way through there. It was a great win. It was a great race and thrilled to be part of winning for Dane [trainer Dane Snyder]."

"This was my biggest race ever," said veteran trainer Snyder. "I'm pretty excited. I really thought he was sharp last week. I trained him this week and warmed him up tonight and I told Brian I thought he was better this week."

A $12,000 Harrisburg yearling purchase, the son of Yankee Glide lifted his earnings to $288,672 for the partnership of Thomas W. King III of Valencia, Pennsylvania; D. Michael Hartley of Renfrew, Pennsylvania; Leo Stepanian of Butler, Pennsylvania and Brian Shoplik of Monroeville, Pennsylvania.

In the fifth race, the $390,000 Merrie Annabelle for two-year-old trotting fillies, the team of driver Mike Lachance and Ron Gurfein combined to win with a lightly regarded filly named Miss Wisconsin.

Miss Wisconsin [$25.80, $12.20, $6.00] popped off the pylons in the stretch and drew off to a one-length victory over Gluteus Maximus [$14.20, $5.00] in a lifetime best of 1:56.3.

Victor's Finesse [$14.40] was third by a length and a quarter. Klipspringer, the 4-5 favorite and winner of three straight, broke stride and finished last, placed ninth.

Miss Wisconsin, a daughter of Muscles Yankee, posted her second win in four lifetime starts.

"Right at the start my filly didn't get off on the right foot, she wasn't 100 percent," said Lachance, who scored his fourth win in the Merrie Annabelle. "Once she settled and was safe, I had no choice and got on the inside. On the last turn I got lucky. Sometimes you have to take shortcuts. It's just the right timing with her. She was locked in twice. She raced in front last time and was strong at the end. She's getting right at the right time. She's a very good filly to start with."

Mike Lachance's previous Merrie Annabelle victories came with Peace Corps in 1988, Lady Starlet in 1992 and Vernon Blue Chip in 1996.

"It's nice to get a trip like that if you can get out alive," said trainer Ron Gurfein. "This filly was very luck tonight. She has never been used hard. Now she's going west to Lexington fresh. I'm happy about that."

Miss Wisconsin was a $150,000 Kentucky Standardbred Yearling Sale purchase for the partnership of the Sampson Street Stables of Old Forge, Pennsylvania; Mathias Meinzinger of Central Islip, New York; David Scharf of New York, New York and Jerry Silva of Bellmore, New York. Miss Wisconsin lifted her bankroll to $207,930.