Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Haughton Final & Meadowland's Pace Elims Notes

July 8, 2005

The Haughton final is the weekend. The Pace elims are this weekend. Beach Towel won the 1990 Meadowlands Pace, sired the winner of the 1996 Haughton in world record time-1:47.3, Jennas Beach Boy, and was voted into the Hall Of fame this past weekend. That time of 1:47.3 still stands today as the sports standard. Can you remember who the NEXT fastest sons of Beach Towel are?
#2 (tie) Not Demott 1:49.1 with Rock The Beach
#4 is S S Sand Dollar at 1:49.3 and
#5 is Always A Beach 1:49.4

The four leading money-winning drivers of the decade of the 1990s dominated the Meadowlands Pace. They captured six of the 10 Pace finals of the decade. John Campbell $97.8 million-won the Pace in 1994 with Cams Card Shark, 1995 with Davids Pass and 1999 with The Panderosa. Mike Lachance was next at $75.2 million. He did not win the Pace in the 90s. Jack Moiseyev was third at $63.8 million. Jack won the 1991 Pace with Precious Bunny and the 1993 edition with Presidential Ball. Luc Ouellette was 4th at $56.8 million He won the 1998 Pace with Day In A Life.

Jim Campbell drove a winner at the Meadowlands as a teenager. THEN, he sent out the favorite in the Meadowlands Pace as a trainer in his 40s. In 1981--at 19 years old--Jim drove his first horse at the Big M and won--the Lou Meittinis trained BOYNE. In 2003, at age 41 Jim sent out the 3/5 favored entry in the Meadowlands Pace in Whatanartist (7th) and Armbro Animate (2nd).

15 horses have been officially timed in under 1:50 in the history of the Meadowlands Pace. It would have been 16, but Mantacular-1:49.3 last year, was disqualified and placed last for interference.

Who is the ONLY horse to race in UNDER 1:50 in the Meadowlands Pace and NOT get a check? Brandons Cowboy-1:49.3-6th-2004.

12 of the 28 horses who have finished last in the Meadowlands Pace were driven by Hall Of Fame Drivers!! Del Insko twice; Mike Lachance twice; John Campbell twice; Cat Manzi twice; Bill O'Donnell, Herve Filion, Billy Haughton, and Ron Waples once each.

The day before the 2005 Meadowlands Pace--July 15--will mark 19 years since the passing of Billy Haughton. It has also been 19 years since the very first time a Hall Of Fame driver drove the longest shot in the field---1986---Carmine Abbatiello, 64.40-1 with Tijuana Blue Chip 6th.

Mike Lachance did NOT drive in the 2004 Pace final, ending his streak at 16 straight appearances. In his last 3 Pace drives, he's banked $1 MILLION!! 2nd-2001 Bettors Delight $250,000; 2nd-2002-McArdle-$250,000; 1st-2003-All American Theory-$500,000.

Which two drivers handled both a male and a female in the Meadowlands Pace finals? Lew Williams and Billy Herman. Courageous Lady (FILLY) (6th) and Midas Almahurst (10th) for Lew and Billy had Pats Gypsy 5th, Hazel Hanover (FILLY) 6th and Tyler B 3rd.

In 1995, there was a tie between two horses for the fastest 4th place finisher. C A Connection and Davids Pass. BOTH turned out to be winners-Davids Pass won the Pace final and C A Connection captured the consolation.

Five horses have made two million dollars in a single season--Jack Moiseyev is the ONLY one to drive TWO of them regularly. BOTH won the Meadowlands Pace. 1991-Precious Bunny and 1993 Presidential Ball. Jack handles Stonebridge Regal this yer in the elims.

Wally Hennessey owns a unique Meadowlands Pace distinction. He has twice competed in the Pace, and BOTH times handled the longest shot in the field. In 1997-20.90-1 5th with Park Place and in 1998-47.90-1 8th with Real Artist.

It'll be 24 YEARS this season since the last-and ONLY-time that any horse qualified THIRD in his Pace elim and won the final-1981-Conquered.

John Campbell has an amazing 7 Pace wins, and 16 Pace elimination scores. But-it COULD have been more. John either had the drive or the option on four other Pace winners-1988-Matts Scooter, 1991 Precious Bunny, 1997 Hot Lead & 2000 Gallo Blue Chip.

Three times out of John Campbells seven Pace scores he won the elim & the final with the same horse-1989-Dexter Nukes, 1994-Cams Card Shark and in 2002 with Mach Three.

One of the oddities of the Meadowlands Pace? There have been SEVEN horses go off at higher than 100-1, but it only happened in two editions. 1987 five of them, 1990 two of them. There were NO 100-1 shots in any of the first 10 editions, and none in the last 14.

Six times in the history of the Meadowlands Pace, the longest priced horse was driven by a Hall Of Fame driver. NONE in 11 years: 1994-65.60-1 J Cs Suprimo Ron Pierce 6th;
1993-94.60-1 Easter Sun Hanna Mike Lachance 4th; 1991 70.80-1 Sablevision Ron Waples 9th; 1990 167.70-1 Center Strip Ron Waples 4th; 1987 194.50-1 Golden Greek Ray Remmen 10th; 1986 69.40-1 Tijuana Blue Chip Carmine Abbatiello 6th.

FIVE times (since 1976), the highest priced yearling-trotter or pacer-in all the sport-made it two years later to either the Hambletonian or the Meadowlands Pace.
1978-$150,000 yearling from 1976 Falcon Amhaurst won the Pace
1988-$500,000 yearling Supergill from 1986-4th in the Hambo
1992-$320,000 yearling Valley Boss Bi from 1990-broke in the stretch just when it appeared he might be ready to win the Hambletonian
2000-$400,000 yearling Berndt Hanover from 1998 made it to the Hambo but was last and
2002 $482,000 yearling Andover Hall from 2000 was the prohibitive fave in the 2002 Hambo but broke first turn and Chip Chip Hooray walked off with the hardware.

The following five drivers have NOT DRIVEN in the Meadowlands Pace since they last won it: 2003-Mike Lachance All American Theory; 1992-Rod Allen Carlsbad Cam; 1981-Dr. John Hayes Conquered; 1980-Clint Galbraith Niatross; 1977-Carl Lecause Escort.
In all but Mike Lachances's case, it was their ONLY Pace drive.

These following three left us too soon. This was the last Pace drive for each: Billy Haughton 1985-6th-Pershing Square; Shelly Goudreau-1982 9th with Apollos Way; Joe O'Brien-1978-3rd with Flight Dirrector.

The following six Hall Of Famers had only ONE Pace assignment: Doug Ackerman-1988-Ever So Rich 8th; Howard Beissinger-1982-Temujin 4th; Vernon Dancer-1977-Mostly Cheer 5th; Clint Galbraith-1980 Niatross 1st; Joe O'Brien-1978-Flight Director-3rd and
Gene Riegle-1980-Fundamentalist-4th.

Notes on Haughton Finalists
Get the latest scoop on your favorite pacer in this $700,000 Race
BOULDER CREEK, 5, gelding. Owners, Clifford Siegel [Staten Island, NY], Lee Wasserman [Brooklyn, NY], John Fodera [Staten Island, NY]
Career Stats, 85, 21, 19, 10, $1,352,046
*Boulder Creek is the only repeater from the 2004 Haughton in which he
finished seventh. Boulder Creek provided trainer Mark Silva with his richest win, the
$552,500 Breeders Crown in 2004. Third Haughton finalist for driver Brian Sears. He was fifth in 2004 with Art's Chip and ninth in 2003 with Dreamfair Vogel.

CASIMIR CAMOTION, 5, gelding. Owners, M&M Harness Racing LLC [William Matz & Cary Potkin], Suffern, NY. Career Stats, 51, 19, 10, 8, $845,393
* Won the $708,400 Canadian Pacing Championship. Driven by his trainer, Patrick Lachance, 29. Youngest winner was John Campbell, 26, in 1981 with Royce. Winless in 10 starts this year; no horse won his first start of the year in the Haughton. Purchased at November 2003 Harrisburg Sale by Bill Matz and Cary Potkin.

DR NO, 4, horse. Owners, Brian Legge [Toronto, ON], Dr. David Legge [Ajax, ON], Robert Stewart {Oshawa, ON]. Career Stats, 34, 8, 4, 5, $344,064
Dr No is a Homebred, a Season's leader with 1:48.2 clocking. New Jersey Classic runner up in 2004 with Two wins in 2005; all other starts off-the-board Sire No Nukes, who passed away this year, has yet to father a Haughton winner. Named for the first James Bond movie, released in 1963.

EATON ROAD KILL, 7, gelding. Owners, Gregg M. Pistochini, Auburn, CA
Career Stats, 123, 40, 16, 15, $633,852
* Was not a Haughton nominee in 2004 but took his world-record equaling mark of 1:48 on the same night. Second year that Mark Harder will have two Haughton finalists. Last
year Luckyisasluckydoes was eighth and Camcracker was ninth. Oldest finalist this year. Two seven-year-olds have won the Haughton-Rambling Willie, 1977 & Prince Ebony, 1991.

HOLBORN HANOVER, 4, gelding. Owners, John Fielding [Toronto, ON] & Canamerica Capital Corp. [Douglas Hyatt & Albert Imbrogno, Milton, ON]
Career Stats, 48, 10, 7, 10, $1,239,860
* Won the 2004 Meadowlands Pace. Only Pace winner to capture the Haughton was Matt's Scooter in 1989. Five past Pace winners have hit the board: Matt's Scooter [1st in 1989], Real Desire [2nd in 2002], Gallo Blue Chip [3rd in 2002], Hot Lead [3rd in 1997] and Dream Away [2nd in 1998]. Second year that Mark Harder will have two Haughton finalists. Last year Luckyisasluckydoes was eighth and Camcracker was ninth.

MALTESE ARTIST, 4, gelding. Owners, George Leon [Pittsburgh, PA], John Howard [Morgantown, WVA], James Koran [Macedonia, OH] Career Stats, 47, 10, 14, 8, $598,997
*Early season's leader with 1:48.3 in Classic Series. Second to Ponder in money won in 2005. Won the Battle of Lake Erie and the Dan Patch. Ron Pierce qualified Maltese Artist and Timesareachanging.

METROPOLITAN, 4, horse. Owners, Norman Smiley [Boca Raton, FL], Gerald Smiley [Cote Saint-Luc, QE], TLP Stable [Thomas & Louis Pontone, Kearny, NJ], Ted Gewertz [New York, NY] Career Stats, 39, 8, 10, 6, $1,063,370
* Won 2004 Oliver Wendell Holmes, 3rd in Meadowlands Pace and 2nd in
North America Cup. Trainer Chris Ryder won 2003 Haughton from post 10 with McArdle.
Co-owned by USHWA's 2004 Owner of the Year Ted Gewertz. Brian Sears qualified Boulder Creek and Metropolitan.

PONDER, 4, horse. Owners, Robert McIntosh Stables [Lasalle, ON], CSX Stables [Keith, Kenneth & Mike Carpenter, John Strock, Liberty Center, OH], John D.
Fielding [Toronto, ON] Career Stats, 26, 10, 10, 2, $626,395
* Leading 2005 money winner of the Haughton finalists with $585,000. Trainer Bob McIntosh won the Haughton in 1992 with Artsplace and 1993 with Staying Together. Won this year's $673,110 Canadian Pacing Derby on June 25 at Mohawk. Seven previous Canadian Pacing Derby winners have captured the Haughton. $217,250 Molson Canadian Pace at Windsor on May 27

QUALITY WESTERN, 5, horse. Owners, Brittany Farms [George Segal, Versailles, KY], Robert Burgess [Campbellville, ON], Karin Olsson Burgess [Milton, ON]
Career Stats, 51, 13, 8, 8, $604,290
* Brittany Farms won the Haughton in 1992 with Artsplace and in 2000 with Western Ideal. No trainer has won the Meadowlands Pace-Hambletonian-WR Haughton. Blair Burgess won the Pace in 2001 with Real Desire and the Hambletonian in 2003 with Amigo Hall. 2003 Oliver Wendell Holmes winner.

TIMESAREACHANGING, 4, gelding. Owners, Perfect World Enterprises [David & Terry Brooks], Old Westbury, NY Career Stats, 37, 14, 7, 5, $1,238,099
* Timesareachanging was Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year in 2004, winning the Adios, Cane Pace and Little Brown Jug. Brett Pelling trained two previous Haughton winners - Armbro Operative in 1997 and Western Ideal in 2000. Timesareachanging was the 2004 Meadowlands Pace runner up. Two other Pace runners up have won the Haughton - McArdle and Artsplace. Timesareachanging's sire, Cam's Card Shark, sired the Haughton winner in 2002 and 2004 - Four Starzzz Shark both times. Three other sophomore divisional champions have won the Haughton - Jenna's Beach Boy in 1996, Matt's Scooter in 1989 and Cam Fella in 1983.