Before I get to the more mundane writing I want to make note of a few horses that appear to be rising to the upper echelon of the training ranks. The next three months will separate the men from the boys and as the speed intensifies I see the emergence of stars in the making. The following in no particular order impressed me a lot this weekend.
Rick Zeron has a Donato Hanover colt from the good mare Mets Inn called Jovial Jerry. The colt is a brother to Andy and Julie Millers top colt of 2018 Mets Hall and looks every bit the part. I didn’t time him but with one as good as he is one doesn’t need a watch. The Zeron’s train in large sets and he just stands out great gaited and glides over the ground. I realize the naysayers will put forth “what are you going to do with a Donato against the Muscle Hill and Chapter Sevens.” He will be early and he will be a force to be reckoned with, you heard it here first.
Freddy Grants barn displayed a relatively green three year old that is very fast.
Explosivebreakaway a full brother to Phaetosive trained a brilliant mile in 201.2 last quarter 27.3 with Frode Fladen in the bike. No easy task for a green colt at Sunshine Meadows
She Does Trix a Trixton from the great La Rivera Lindy impressed me with no head check and her ears on line with her withers she looked strong as can be in a relatively pedestrian time as she had OCD surgery in December. She is from the Lindy Farms, Domenico Cecere the trainer. Chief Mate was my last standout performer of the weekend cutting a mile in 215.2 with Tony Alagna at the reigns. He was a $150,000 colt by Captaintreacherous from Heaven Forbid.
I am sure if you were there I left a standout of your choice among the missing. Don’t be dismayed the cream always rises to the top and if your Pick is great he will surface in my notes eventually.
Believe it or not the Alagna Barn had 21 sets this morning beginning at 630am and ending at 430 pm. Still has 3 hours of training left as I write this piece. No one can accuse him of lacking dedication and inbetween sets he took time to train a newly acquired three year old Kadabra homebred for Ron Ruggles named Donna Fugata in 203 last half in a minute. Nice looking filly. In the same set as Chief Mate all timed around 215.2 were Force N Fury c Captaintreacherous/My Little Dragon, It’s Showtime c Captaintreacherous Uffizi Hanover, Ideal Perception c American Ideal/Southwind Siren and Rollnthejoe c Roll With Joe/Sweet Bonnie. Choirmaster c Mach Three/Ideal Helen looked sharp stopping the timer in 214.3 with Donna Lee at the lines on the wire together with What the Luck c Artspeak/Calvados Hall, Major Risky c Captaintreacherous/Flyonce, Captain Barbarossa c Captaintreacherous/Swinging Beauty, and Hopefully Inclined c Mach Three/Artistically Inclined.
The next Alagna set of two year olds I will say may be the most expensive set in Harness history. The five colts we’re purchased for $1,145,000 an average of $229,000. They stopped the timer in a quick 216 and included Captain Midnight c Captaintreacherous/It Was Fascination ( my favorite pacing colt at the sales), Captain Nemo, Captaintreacherous/Hana Hanover, Odds On Cape Coral, Captaintreacherous/ Preppy Party Girl, Put To Right, Captaintreacherous/On The Catwalk,and Rouser Hanover, Captaintreacherous/Romantic Moment.