Meadowlands: Beaton trainees sweep Pace eliminations

Tony Beaton trainees Legendary Hanover and Nijinsky won the pair of $50,000 Meadowlands Pace eliminations for 3-year-old colts and geldings on Saturday night at The Big M. Legendary Hanover stopped the timer in 1:48, while Nijinsky, the North America Cup champion, was victorious in 1:47 3/5.

Mirage Hanover (Tim Tetrick) set the tempo of 26 3/5, 55 1/5 and 1:22 4/5 in the first elimination as Gem Quality (Dexter Dunn) and Legendary Hanover (James MacDonald) tracked him from second and third. Ivy Park (Yannick Gingras) was first-over out of sixth before the half, but he stalled out in fourth on the final bend, allowing Gem Quality and Legendary Hanover to bide their time until moving off the pylons just before three-quarters.

The sprint was on the in the lane, and Legendary Hanover, who fanned out three-wide, paced a 24 4/5 final panel to get up and prevail by a length and a quarter. Mirage Hanover held off Gem Quality for second and Captain's Quarters (Jody Jamieson), who elected to stay on the inside in fourth, angled out in the stretch and also kicked home in 24 4/5 to grab fourth. The last spot in the final went to Number Cruncher (Scott Zeron).

"Today I was looking for a nice trip and to have him pacing at the end; it couldn't have worked out any better," said MacDonald. "I didn't think fitness would be a problem. I was confident he'd be fit enough; it was my job to find a nice trip for him."

A Huntsville colt bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, Legendary Hanover is owned by Eric Good, West Wins Stable and Mark Dumain. This was his ninth win from 15 starts, he has now banked $402,209 and he paid $5.00 to win as the 5-2 second choice.

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Elimination number two looked completely different than the first as there were four different leaders during the mile. Captain Luke (Zeron) cut the quarter in 25 4/5, but he would be overtaken by McCrunch (Gingras) past that point, and McCrunch would then give way to a brushing Captain Albano (Todd McCarthy) before the 53 1/5 half. Nijinsky (Louis Roy) was right behind Captain Albano, and he went on to the engine beyond the half.

Nijinsky had no breather as Funtime Bayama, debuting for Dexter Dunn and Andrew Harris, immediately confronted him, and they would duel to the 1:21 1/5 three-quarters and into the lane. Nijinsky and Funtime Bayama got separation on the others through the drive as Captain Albano got very steppy behind them and had to be gathered up by McCarthy, but Nijinsky was unwavering at the inside and fought off Funtime Bayama to tally by three-quarters of a length. Captain Albano got his act back together in the last eighth and was third, followed by a badly-shuffled Captain Luke and Its Saturday Night (Andy McCarthy).

"I didn't even pull the earplugs; I know every time I pull the plugs he goes to another gear," said Roy. "Every time we've tested him, he always answers nicely. Tonight, I feel like he had more left than in the N.A. Cup final."

Beaton trains Nijinsky, a colt by Bettor's Delight, for owners West Wins Stable, John Fielding and Mark Dumain. Now six-for-six in 2024, he has seven victories overall, has pocketed $554,890 and returned $4.80 to win.

Post positions for the Meadowlands Pace final will be drawn on Tuesday afternoon.

--quotes compiled by James Witherite--