Harness: From Hoosier Park to The Red Mile, Wallin has talent in play

Trainers tend to have a belief in their own horses that is unique and not always in line with past performances. Trainer Lucas Wallin wasn't lacking confidence when he sent out his juvenile trotting filly Soiree Hanover in last Friday's (September 8) New Jersey Classic at the Meadowlands. Though the daughter of Walner was at the back of the pack and seemingly out of contention on the final turn, Wallin himself was confident.

"I knew she would finish strongly," said Wallin. "I didn't know if she could win the race, but I would have been happy with a second or third."

Wallin saw Soiree Hanover roll past a solid group of fillies on her way to a career-best 1:53 1/5 victory, covering the final quarter in a snappy 26 4/5 and rapidly putting the first-year filly in the conversation among the leaders in the division.

"She came out of the race great," said Wallin. "I'm going to train her lightly on Tuesday (September 12) and if she's good we'll enter her in the Doherty."

True to his word Wallin not only put Soiree Hanover in the Doherty but stablemate The Moment as well. With earnings being the criteria to gain admission to the $400,000 contest, The Moment's third-place finish in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final at Pocono earned her a spot in the Doherty as well.

Wallin wasn't picking his favorites between the two entered on Friday, or the one that will race on Sunday in the $400,000 Kentucky Championship Series final by the name of Dolce Amara.

"I think all three have potential," said Wallin, not wanting to overstate the power within his stable.

On the other hand, it's safe to say that Soiree Hanover has been a favorite from the start.

"We loved her as a yearling. She showed talent from the time we broke her," said Wallin.

The trainer purchased Soiree Hanover for $110,000, and she's already earned $192K in just five starts, with three wins and two seconds in five races, all over the Meadowlands surface. Her trip to Indiana's Harrah's Hoosier Park for Friday's contest will be a first test against Grand Circuit talent, but she's done nothing wrong thus far.

"I don't tell the drivers how to drive," said Wallin, who admitted that he only drives these days when looking to fine tune a young horse while in a race. "But I do like to see my horses race from off-the-pace because I think it helps to give them confidence."

Soiree Hanover may need to show some speed on Friday, having drawn post nine in a field of 10 with a trailer. The Moment, a daughter of Father Patrick, landed post three and her trainer is happy with her progression.

"I think the return to the big track will be good for her," Wallin said of The Moment, a Kindergarten leg winner at the Meadowlands on August 4. "She has raced well but hasn't drawn well and it's tough to close from far back at Pocono."

The Moment trailed at the half in the September 2 $252,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final over the five-eighths surface and finished third, beaten just a half-length.

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The Doherty field is rather deep, with Peaceful Way third-place finisher Graceful Design (post one) in prime position after the draw. The Nancy Takter-trained Cheval Rapide appeared to be one of the better fillies in training after her first few starts at the Meadowlands. The well-bred Father Patrick-sired lass faded badly in her Peaceful Way trial on August 19 at Woodbine Mohawk Park and returns for the first time in four weeks with Lasix added.

There's considerable local talent in the Doherty, with trainer Jay Hochstetler sending out two. The Indiana-sired Ponda Title (post four) is looking for her sixth career win in just her eighth start. The multiple-Sire Stakes leg winner is a daughter of Muscle Massive. Miss Dior (post eight) is a filly from the first crop of Six Pack that had been racing in the top tier of the Kentucky program with limited success but has won her last two starts over the Hoosier surface.

This will also be the first year that the Peter Haughton Memorial is raced away from The Meadowlands, and the $420,000 contest drew a strong field of 10 headed by William Wellwood Memorial champion T C I. Nearly perfect, with seven wins in eight starts, this season, T C I arrives in Indiana fresh off a sparkling 1:54 4/5 effort in capturing the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final for freshman trotting colts and geldings. Ron Burke trains the son of Cantab Hall.

The Ohio-bred Spaaaanzano had his five-race winning streak broken in the September 9 Ohio Sires Stakes final at Eldorado Scioto Downs, but that came after the gelding missed a few weeks due to sickness. Spaaaanzano has earned $253K this year for trainer Chris Beaver and drew post 10 in the second tier on Friday.

Mars Hill (post three) hopes to avenge his defeat at the hooves of T C I in the Wellwood for trainer Tony Alagna in the Haughton. A $325,000 yearling at last year's Lexington Selected auction, Mars Hill has won three of his five career starts.

Trainer Marcus Melander has a two-pronged entry in the Haughton, with Gimpanzee's full brother Thinker Monkey (post six) and recent Pennsylvania Sire Stakes runner-up Security Protected (post eight) in the lineup.

Wallin will be in Lexington Sunday for a host of stakes events, including the two championships for juveniles trotting fillies and colts. The aforementioned Dolce Amara was an impressive 1:54 1/5 winner in the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series leg at The Red Mile on July 31. She last raced on August 14 and her trainer is optimistic.

"She got sick and was unable to make the New Jersey Sire Stakes final," said Wallin. Unfortunately, Dolce Amara again fell victim to sickness in the last leg of the Sire Stakes, but Wallin believes she's good again and hopes for a solid effort on Sunday.

On the colt side, Duke Of Walner has shown the talent to compete at the highest level. Following a first and second in legs of the Kentucky Championship Series, Duke Of Walner made a miscue in the September 3 leg, but Wallin didn't seem that concerned.

"We've made some changes," Wallin said after revealing that Duke Of Walner touched a knee in the race. Duke Of Walner was a $90,000 yearling at last year's Lexington auction.

"It's going to be tough for him against Karl," Wallin said, "But I think he can go with him."

Karl has been outstanding this year thus far for trainer Nancy Takter, winning easily on two occasions over the Red Mile surface.

With a stable made up primarily of 2-year-olds at the time, Wallin believes he's got a few more quality horses that have yet to surface on the national scene. Mosquito has been a bit late to the game but has blossomed in the last few weeks. A $250,000 yearling and fifth foal from Amour Heiress, Mosquito's four previous siblings were all stakes winners. Mosquito finished second in the New Jersey Classic behind a more seasoned Sig Sauer.

"I have to give credit to the owners for having the patience and waiting on him," said Wallin. "He just wasn't strong enough earlier in the year and needed to build muscle."

Mosquito will likely look for another overnight event and point towards Grand Circuit action at The Red Mile.

The Walner-sired Life On The Bluf won his second straight for Wallin at the Meadowlands on September 8 with a 1:55 2/5 clocking. He has potential, having made his qualifying debut at the end of August.

For July, a Greenshoe colt and half-brother to Cuatro De Julio, has encouraged his trainer but will need more seasoning. "He's got the talent," Wallin said.

Hopefully for Wallin all of his entrants will show talent this weekend.