National Debt continued the parade of unbeaten prospects when he captured the $60,500 Buddy Gilmour Pacing Series final in Saturday’s 11th race at Meadowlands Racetrack.
Driver Tim Tetrick protected the eventual winner’s position from the rail, allowing second choice Capital Account a short lead before retaking before the :55.2 half. National Debt faced token pressure through the :27.4 third panel with Yannick Gingras waiting in the pocket with Capital Account for the homestretch to unleash his colt. National Debt had the answer when asked by Tetrick, sprinting home in :27.2 for the 1:50.3 win. Capital Account was a well meant second and Dinner At The Met and Marcus Miller third.
“A 1:50 mile in March is pretty big,” said Tetrick. “He got a little lazy on the lead and he has some things to learn, but the talent is there. Now we just have to see if he can pace in 1:47.”
National Debt is now six-for-six in his career and doubled his lifetime earnings with the Gilmour win for Alberta co-owners Kelly Hoerdt, Erna and Blair Corbeil, and their new partner, J&T Silva Stables. Ron Coyne Jr. has been deputized by Hoerdt to tend to his prize pupil while stateside and his work thus far has been impeccable.
Earlier on the card, Perfect Alliance completed her sweep of the Charles Singer Memorial with a dominant 1:52.2 stakes record performance in the $53,200 final for Andy Miller.
Sent away as the overwhelming 1-5 betting choice, Perfect Alliance followed Time To Quit and Gingras around the first turn before brushing to the top before the :55-second half. Ray Hall ranged up first over for Tetrick and pressed the leader toward the 1:24 three-quarters before Perfect Alliance kicked into another gear and drew out to an open length win under minimal urging in the record mile. Longshot Little Bitty Lies rallied late for Marcus Miller to take the place and Time To Quit stuck around for third.
The winner is trained by Julie Miller and owned by Meadowlands Racing Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gural (racing under Little E, LLC), General Manager & CEO Jason Settlemoir, Dave Stolz and Art Geiger.
Perfect Alliance is now perfect in five starts this year, including two prior legs of the series.
Total handle for the Saturday program was $3,426,720, which included slight on-track gains.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)