Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Palone Looking for Adios Victory

August 9, 2007

Dave Palone is far and away The Meadows' all-time leading driver with the vast majority of his more than 11,500 career victories scored at the Washington County track. But, when it comes to The Meadows' jewel race, the Adios Pace, he has one victory -- with Washington VC in 1999.

"I've had more seconds than Ponderosa's salad bar," said Palone, 45, who, if you count elimination heats, has seven seconds in 50 Adios drives.

"It's tough when all the horses and drivers are coming in [from the big-time tracks of Canada and the East Coast]. All the good 3-year-olds have been gobbled up and taken coming into the race.

"Everything I've had that was good has been someone else's castoff -- even the one I won with. I know I've never had a favorite going into the race."

He will not drive the overall favorite today, either. That designation belongs to millionaire and Meadowlands Pace winner Southwind Lynx. But Palone is driving the horse that many believe is the next best thing -- Watta Hotshot, the runner-up to Southwind Lynx a week ago in the Oliver Wendell Holmes at The Meadowlands.

Southwind Lynx is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the first of two $50,000 elimination divisions of the Adios, and Watta Hotshot is the 5-2 choice in the second. The top four finishers in each elimination return for the $320,125 final.

If the two favorites advance to that showdown, Palone likes his chances with Watta Hotshot, who was purchased just a week ago by Meadows-based trainer Mickey Burke for his wife, Sylvia, Randy Ringer of Washington, Pa., Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg and JJK Stables lLC, New Hartford, N.Y. Burke led North American trainers in wins last year.

"I don't believe [Watta Hotshot] will be the favorite," Palone said. "But he was a good second to Southwind the other night and he'd been off 21 days. He should only be better this week.

"It looks like he should handle the first elimination field pretty handily. Then it's almost an Adios endurance competition. You've got to get lucky in your elimination and don't use your horse too much; come back in the heat; draw well. It's not an easy day."

But Palone has not had too many "easy days" since he shattered his upper right thighbone in a racing pileup April 10.

"My doctor said he couldn't count the breaks. There were 15 or 20. He put in a rod, two screws in the knee and one in my hip."

The doctor said at the time that Palone would not be able to even bear weight on the leg for six weeks. He was back driving in seven.

"My doctor calls me his walking miracle," he said. But Palone walks with a slight limp, and he acknowledges the injury "hurts at night."

"It's my own fault. I started back and said I would take it easy, but I can't tell the trainers no. Pretty soon, I was driving 15 a night."

So what keeps him going?

"I still love to race horses," said Palone, who will drive TJ's Ideal in the first elimination heat. "I love to win races, whether it be a four [$4,000] claimer or an open pace. It's fun to use my mind with strategy. It's fun with new horses. I love the sport."