Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Mythical Lindy tops Nevele Pride field

June 20, 2007

Not even the loss of a shoe could slow Mythical Lindy, as he continued his march toward August’s $1.5 million Hambletonian with a track-record win in his elimination for the inaugural Nevele Pride at Monticello Raceway on Monday afternoon. The $378,000 stakes event (final on June 25) is named in honor of Nevele Pride, who won the 1968 Trotting Triple Crown and was Horse of the Year in 1967, 1968 and 1969.

Green Day joined Mythical Lindy as an elimination winner. Green Day set the track record for 3-year-old geldings with a 1:58.1 victory several races before Mythical Lindy, unbeaten in three starts this season, set the track record for 3-year-old trotters with his 1:57.3 triumph from post seven on Monticello’s half-mile oval.

“He was pretty comfortable the whole way,” driver David Miller said about Mythical Lindy. “He threw a shoe after the first quarter [mile] and I was little worried when it first came off. That was pretty amazing he kept trotting; he didn’t change his gait at all. That really surprised me.”

Got That Look, New York Sires Stakes champion Hitwiththeladies and Worldclass Guy followed Mythical Lindy to the wire and joined him in the field for the Nevele Pride final. Green Day, who has won five of eight races this year, was joined by Dexter Cup champ Manfinity, Cumulus and Anzio Hall in making the final from the first elim.

Mythical Lindy won seven of 11 races in 2006, including the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes championship, and was second, behind Hambletonian winter favorite Donato Hanover, in the Peter Haughton Memorial. He won a division of the Currier & Ives at the Meadows, near Pittsburgh, on June 9.

He is owned by Thomas York Jr. and Joe Sbrocco. Mythical Lindy, by SJ’s Caviar, is out of the mare Myth, who is a half sister to 1997 Breeders Crown 2-year-old filly winner My Dolly. He was purchased for $60,000 as a yearling at the Lexington Select Sale.

“He’s matured a lot and seems a little stronger,” Miller said. “I think toward the end of last year he got a few things that were bothering him, but he was real steady all the time. As long as he’s healthy and sound – I don’t know about beating Donato – but he’ll be a force to be reckoned with. He definitely has a right to race in those (major) races. I’m looking forward to it.”