With Tim Tetrick in tow, Anndrovette gunned out from post eight and reeled off fractions of :27, :54.4 and 1:22 before storming home to a stakes record 1:49.3 clocking. Put On A Show was unable to track down the winner after a garden trip and finished 1-1/2 half lengths behind. Rocklamation tracked her stablemate Ginger And Fred second-over and rallied for third.
Anndrovette returned $6 in her first win of the season for trainer PJ Fraley.
“She felt awesome,” Tetrick said. “This mare loves to go, and keep going, fast. Last year she could just go forever. In the lane she would just keep going faster and wouldn’t let a horse pass her. That’s her biggest trait. She’s tough as nails and shows up every week.”
The 5-year-old daughter of Riverboat King was named the top pacing mare in both the U.S. and Canada last year. She won 11 of 20 starts, including the Breeders Crown, and $747,112 in purses. Jeff Bamond of Brick, NJ and Joseph Davino of Clarksburg own Anndrovette.
Long shot Art Z split rivals just in the nick of time to win the $78,400 Four Leaf Clover final for conditioned pacers. Deftly driven by David Miller, Art Z sat behind dueling leaders Risk Management and Fools Gold and burst through a narrow opening in deep stretch to win by a neck in 1:50.3. Freddy Day Hanover angled off cover and rallied for second, while Risk Management held on for third.
“I talked to Jordan and told him that I thought our best shot was to leave and get position,” Miller said. “Jordan had him ready tonight. He had really been so-so in the [preliminary legs of the series]. Tonight, he was right on the money.
“Yannick definitely was wanting to cut it [driver Gingras and Risk Management],” Miller continued. “He made that clear. He was rolling along and I was happy where I was at. At the head of the stretch, I had a lap full of horse and I was just hoping to get out."
Art Z, trained by Jordan Rubin, paid $32.80 as he posted his first win in seven starts this season. Richard Lombardo of Solon, OH owns the 4-year-oldArtiscape gelding, who now has $196,104 in career earnings.
“We ended up picking him up off [trainer] Bob McIntosh last year,” Lombardo noted. “He was a solid sire stakes horse all through his 3-year-old campaign. It’s been a little struggle so far at [age] four, rough trips here and there, but he finally got a little bit of luck.”