Meadowlands Pace 2018

Meadowlands Pace

One of the premier events for three year old pacers has drawn what coukd be considered one of the weakest fields in its history. There will be two divisions in elimination to determine the 10 racing from the 15 declared but odds are there are only three with a chance to win.

Nine of the 15 sold in the Lexington sale, 3 in Harrisburg, and 3 are homebreds either kept or sold privately.

The odds-on favourite should be Stay Hungry but he has serious contenders in Jimmy Freight, Hayden Hanover, Dorsoduro Hanover and American History who all should make the final after eliminations this Saturday. Others that could advance are Captain Deo, Courtly Choice, This Is The Plan, Fashiononthebeach and Nutcracker Sweet.

There are six that were on the recommended list of pedigree matched individuals as yearlings.

American History         83 – 1.50.1  sold for 150K at Lexington

Captain Deo                 108 – 1.48.4  sold for 90K at Lexington

Dorsoduro Hanover      99 – 1.48.0 sold for 100K at Harrisburg

Hayden Hanover           105 – 1.48.4  sold for 85K at Harrisburg

Stay Hungry                 104 – 1.48.0  sold for 150K at Lexington

This Is The Plan            71 – 1.51.2  sold for 90K at Harrisburg

Courtly Choice, a 14^th foal, has a correct pedigree but was not on the list due to his birth order which reduced his rating below 60.

The three that I could consider winning are StayHungry, the class of the race, American History with a recent win in 1.47 and Jimmy Freight who was not in a sale but has been one of the best lately.

The Double Double

No, it is not your favourite coffee at Tim Hortons but it should be on your list of favourite yearling purchases.

Last year saw Mcwicked, a son of Mcardle, take home the spoils as the top three year old colt in North America. He was a Double Double as have been most of the very good horses that I have picked out for owner Ed James over the past seven years. In fact the best five, collectively winning almost $7 million, have all fit that special pedigree pattern that I call the Double Double.

Pedigree Matching focuses on the maternal lines of the sire and having those same lines returned from the dam. That is known as a double return in what the old saying tells us to "return to the sire the best blood of his dam".

A Double Double goes one step further by having the mare also return two lines the same as in the dam of the Grandsire.

In Mcwicked's case the first double return is of Meadow Skipper, through sons Most Happy Fella and Albatross. The second double is through Volomite and Adios, the maternal lines of Mcardle' s sire, Falcon Seelster thus completing the Double Double.

Which brings me to a horse that is unbeaten in his career called Roland N Rock, a son of Rocknroll Hanover from a mare by Cambest. He has yet to meet up with the top three year olds in North America but is aimed at the Meadowlands Pace where he will have to race against Artspeak and North America Cup winner Wakizashi Hanover.

His pedigree doubles back Abercrombie and Volomite from his dam for the first double, then Abercrombie and Meadow Skipper as is found in the maternal lines of Western Ideal for the second double.

I just might have a small wager on this colt in the Meadowlands Pace.