Giwner: Breaking down the top 10 sophomore pacers of 2018

While the top 3-year-old trotters tend to take their time returning from winter vacation, their pacing counterparts should be preparing to qualify in the coming weeks. In keeping with tradition, below I submit my pre-season top 10 for the sophomore pacing class for 2018.

If I did the math correctly, there should be just over $7 million in purse money available during the stakes season for 3-year-old pacing colts versus about $3.5 million the same-aged females. That of course doesn’t include state-bred stakes races which could add up to $750,000 in purse money depending on the region.

For the males, which will dominate my list since they race for more money, the highlights remain as always the North America Cup, Max Hempt Memorial, Meadowlands Pace, Messenger and Breeders Crown. Each of the quintet are the only races expected to be worth north of $500,000 this year. The only filly race to reach that plateau in 2018 will most certainly be the Breeders Crown final.

In order to keep the suspense going onto the following pages, I’ll start with #10.

10 – KISSIN IN THE SAND

Record: 14-7-1-1

Earnings: $231,175

Best Time: 1:50 3/5

Trainer: Nancy Johansson

Owner: Marvin Katz & Hatfield Stables

Breeder: Christina Takter, John Fielding & R A W Equine

Sire/Dam: Somebeachsomewhere / Kiss Me Kate

Admittedly it was splitting hairs when trying to decide between Kissin In The Sand, Rainbow Room and Percy Bluechip in the 10-slot. Ultimately, I felt like Kissin In The Sand had a bit more dynamic speed.

Her biggest win came in the Kindergarten final and the road to the winner’s circle in the biggest races in 2018 will be difficult since she’ll have to contend with divisional leader Youaremycandygirl.

“She is training back fantastic. I’m really looking forward to racing her this year,” said trainer Nancy Johansson, who wasn’t ready to pinpoint a qualifying date but said the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere would qualify twice and point to the Fan Hanover at Mohawk Park.

9 – DONE WELL

Record: 4-4-0-0

Earnings: $93,782

Best Time: 1:51 2/5

Trainer: Brian Brown

Owner: James Stanbaugh, Wingfield Brothers LLC, Milton Leeman & Alan Keith

Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms

Sire/Dam: Well Said / Dagnabit Hanover

This son of Well Said saw his perfect 2-year-old campaign derailed by injury, but in the time we saw him it was obvious his talent was immense. His last race came back in August (2017) and while he remains sound, trainer Brian Brown was brutally honest when asked about the colt’s progress.

“He didn’t qualify well,” said Brown about a March 23 second-place finish in 1:58 at Spring Garden Ranch in Florida. “He bled badly, but we think he might have popped an abscess in one of his lungs.”

Assuming no further setbacks, Done Well, who is not eligible to the Art Rooney, Messenger, Meadowlands Pace or Cane Pace, will set forth on a “Fear The Dragon schedule” according to Brown. That top 3-year-old from 2017 for Brown started in PA Sire Stakes before hitting the North America Cup, Max Hempt, Adios and Milstein during the summer.

8 – SUMMER TRAVEL

Record: 4-3-0-0

Earnings: $26,781

Best Time: 1:50 3/5

Trainer: Casie Coleman

Owner: West Wins Stable, Mac Nichol & Calhoun Racing LTD

Breeder: Winbak Farm

Sire/Dam: Western Ideal / Shark Tail

Like Done Well, Summer Travel showed flashes of elite ability during an injury-shortened rookie year on the track. He won the Dream Maker at Mohawk in a sizzling 1:50 3/5 before being scratched due to sickness twice and ultimately failing to advance from the Metro elimination to the Final in his last start of 2017.

“We thought we had him ready for the Metro, but he was a little bit sore and we couldn’t quite figure it out,” said trainer Casie Coleman. “I decided to stop with him because he is too talented and I didn’t want to keep pushing him on and hurt him.

“We went to a lot of different vets to figure out what his issue was and we finally got it narrowed down. He’s training like a killer right now. I’m really happy with him now.

“He went 2:04 on Saturday (March 24) and he is going to go 2:02 Friday or Saturday this week (March 30/31). He’s doing everything he should be and doing it really easy.”

Eligible to most of the major dances in 2018 except the Meadowlands Pace and Messenger, Summer Travel is expected to qualify by the first week of May at Mohawk Park and could participate in the second leg of the PA Sire Stakes at Pocono on May 19 as he preps for the Somebeachsomewhere and North America Cup at Mohawk Park.

7 – PEDRO HANOVER

Record: 8-5-0-2

Earnings: $317,188

Best Time: 1:51

Trainer: Andrew Harris

Owner: Brad Gray & Denise Guerriero

Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms

Sire/Dam: Somebeachsomewhere / Paula’s Best:

The PA Sire Stakes champion from 2017 packed it in for the season after a third-place finish as the favorite in the $660,960 Metro final last September. According to trainer Andrew Harris, everything is on track for the Hanover Shoe Farms bred.

“He’s doing unbelievable right now. He’s been in 2:04. He’s probably about two to three weeks from qualifying. He’s scheduled for the May 5 PA Sire Stakes (at The Meadows) as his first start back,” said Harris. “If everything goes according to plan we’ll probably end up missing a sire stakes leg down the road so we’ll try to get as many points as we can early in case we have to miss one for the Grand Circuit later.

“I have a bit of experience with those top horses working with Casie (Coleman) and those good 3-year-old colts coming back like Betterthancheddar and Mcwicked. I rank him right on top with those horses. He’s so, so talented. It is just a question of whether we keep him sound and happy going forward. I know that we are the underdog compared to Stay Hungry and Lost In Time, but I really do feel like we are right there with them.”

The only negative coming into 2018 for Harris is the lack of stakes races on his docket. The colt is not eligible to the Cane, Messenger, Adios or Rooney. “It’s so sad. He wasn’t paid into anything as a 2-year-old,” said Harris. “If things go according to plan we have some major supplementing to do this year.”

6 – HAYDEN HANOVER

Record: 11-2-4-3

Earnings: $289,092

Best Time: 1:50

Trainer: Julie Miller

Owner: Pinske Stables, James Simpson

Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms

Sire/Dam: Somebeachsomewhere / Hana Hanover

Hayden Hanover paced the fastest mile by a colt in 2017, coming in a fifth-of-a-second ahead of Lost In Time and Karpathian Kid. He set that mark at the Red Mile but raced well at just about every track, picking up second-place finishes in the Metro Final at Mohawk Park and PA Sire Stakes championship at Pocono.

My biggest concern is that he only won twice in 11 starts, but it’s a huge plus that he is eligible to 10 of the 11 races worth over $300,000 in 2018, with the exception being the Rooney at Yonkers.

“He has trained in 2:08 in Florida for Pinske,” said trainer Julie Miller. “He is shipping to me in New Jersey this weekend (March 30/31). The reports from Carter Pinske is he is doing great.”

5 – SPRINGSTEEN

Record: 14-3-3-1

Earnings: $192,873

Best Time: 1:50 4/5

Trainer: Rene Allard

Owner: Allard Racing, Bruce Soulsby, Arthur Weisenberg & Kapildeo Singh

Breeder: Brittany Farms

Sire/Dam: Rock N Roll Heaven / American Charm

Brought along slowly by trainer Chris Ryder through late September, Springsteen changed hands in early October and went on to win the Matron in November for new conditioner Rene Allard. Under the care of Mark Harder for a couple of starts the colt set a lifetime mark of 1:50 4/5 winning the Governor’s Cup elimination but found himself in a bad spot for the final.

Allard is back in charge and not surprisingly, this guy isn’t eligible to the Meadowlands Pace or Cane since the trainer is not welcome at Jeff Gural owned tracks, but he is staked to everything else and on schedule.

“[Brian] Sears trained him this morning (March 27) in 2:15 in Florida. He was really good,” said Allard. “He’ll qualify at the end of April. His first stakes race will be on May 12 at Yonkers (Reynolds).”

4 – AMERICAN HISTORY

Record: 5-3-0-1

Earnings: $60,683

Best Time: 1:52 2/5

Trainer: Tony Alagna

Owner: Brittany Farms LLC, Marvin Katz & American History Racing

Breeder: Brittany Farms

Sire/Dam: American Ideal / Perfect Touch

If you stopped paying attention to stakes races after the Breeders Crown, you clearly missed this exceptionally talented son of American Ideal. He was a late starter but reeled off three straight wins leading up to the Governor’s Cup at The Meadowlands. A fifth-place finish got him into the final and he was a credible third behind divisional leaders Lost In Time and Stay Hungry while clearly still somewhat green.

“He’s matured nicely with his down time this winter,” said trainer Tony Alagna. “He’s training back sharply and will be shipping (to New Jersey from Florida) on the same schedule (April 4) as Stay Hungry. Both colts trained Saturday (March 24) in 2:01.”

3 – YOURAREMYCANDYGIRL

Record: 11-9-0-0

Earnings: $895,615

Best Time: 1:50

Trainer: Ron Burke

Owner: William Donovan

Breeder: Birnam Wood Farms

Sire/Dam: American Ideal / Sweet Lady Jane

She was the co-fastest 2-year-old of 2018 along with Hayden Hanover and completely dominated the filly pacing division. You name it, she won it – Breeders Crown, Three Diamonds, Matron & She’s A Great lady – while earning the most of any freshman last year, including the 12-for-12 undefeated trotting filly Manchego.

“I trained her yesterday,” said regular driver Yannick Gingras on March 27. “She is perfect. We went 2:15 and she’s sound. I was very happy with her.”

2 – LOST IN TIME

Record: 9-5-2-0

Earnings: $608,112

Best Time: 1:50 1/5

Trainer: Jimmy Takter

Owner: Diamond Creek Racing, J&T Silva Racing LLC, William Rufenacht & Team S Racing

Breeder: Diamond Creek Farm

Sire/Dam: A Rocknroll Dance / Summer Mystery

He finished 2017 as the richest 2-year-old male pacer and that likely contributed to his Dan Patch award as the divisional champion. His major wins include the Metro Final, where he defeated Hayden Hanover and Governor’s Cup, where he bested Stay Hungry.

The Governor’s Cup elimination and final marked the colt’s first starts for Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter. Jim Mulinix of A Rocknroll Dance fame was his prior conditioner.

“Both Lost In Time and Nutcracker Sweet are doing great,” said Takter. “I expect them to qualify sometime in May and most likely debut in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes at Pocono (May 19).”

1 – STAY HUNGRY

Record: 9-6-1-0

Earnings: $535,742

Best Time: 1:50 2/5

Trainer: Tony Alagna

Owner: Bradley Grant & Irwin Samelman

Breeder: Av and Son Bloodstock LLC

Sire/Dam: Somebeachsomewhere / My Little Dragon

It was no easy decision to split Stay Hungry and Lost In Time. Lost In Time won more money and paced a fifth-of-a-second faster while Stay Hungry has one additional win. What put me ever so slightly over the top with Stay Hungry was the Governor’s Cup. While he finished a neck behind Lost In Time, Stay Hungry clearly went the tougher mile. I’m going to give him credit for that gutsy performance. In reality, maybe Lost In Time and Stay Hungry should be 1 and 1A.

Stay Hungry’s Breeders Crown victory was the highlight of his 2017 campaign. He is eligible to every major stakes race except the Art Rooney.

“Stay Hungry has grown up over the winter and gotten longer,” said trainer Tony Alagna. “He’s back training well and will be shipping north out of Florida next Wednesday (April 4).”

There you have it, my pre-season top 10 list for 2018. While we didn’t highlight them, if you read each one you saw some of the other names which came close to making the cut but fell just short. Those included Rainbow Room and Percy Bluechip among the fillies and Karpathian Kid and Nutcracker Sweet among the boys. Other names of note that didn’t make it into the text above are filly Kendall Seelster and colts Closing Statement and Key Advisor. I’m sure there are a few I failed to mention at all and to those connections, I wish you nothing but the best in 2018. Let’s root for a great year of racing.