Meadowlands: Big final eighth rally propels Control The Moment to Pace elim victory
Race favorite Control The Moment paced strongly in the final eighth to get up and win the sole $50,000 Meadowlands Pace elimination for 3-year-old males on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.
Good Living (Brett Miller) got the first call and had a narrow advantage at the 26 2/5 opening quarter over JK Will Power (Yannick Gingras), who was pressing on the outside. JK Will Power cleared off the turn, but Lyons Snyder (Dave Miller) pulled immediately out of third, and he would take over before the 54 second half.
Lyons Snyder continued to show the way over to the 1:22 1/5 three-quarters, with Talk Show (Scott Zeron) positioned first-over and challenging at that point. Control The Moment (Brian Sears) was sitting third-over at three-quarters, but he was slightly gapped off cover.
In the lane Lyons Snyder put away Talk Show, and it looked like he might be on his way to victory, but with a big rush Control The Moment flew up on his outside in deep stretch, and Control The Moment would win by a length in 1:49 2/5. Lyons Snyder had to settle for second, and JK Will Power was third.
The other horses advancing to next week's final, where they will join Racing Hill, who received a bye, were Check Six, Good Living, Boston Red Rocks, Manhattan Beach, Another Daily Copy, and Talk Show. Ideal Rocky was the lone horse eliminated.
"He's a really nice horse, no question about it. He did everything I asked tonight and was nice and relaxed," said Sears. "I was real pleased the way he got home. I didn't know if we were going to pick the winner up or not, but he raced super no matter what. It was a big effort."
Brad Maxwell trains Control The Moment, a Well Said colt, for owner Control The Moment Stable. This was his tenth win from 15 starts, and he has now earned $527,095. Control The Moment paid $4 to win.
Here is how the field will line up for next Saturday night's final:
1-Another Daily Copy
2-Good Living
3-Control The Moment
4-Racing Hill
5-Lyons Snyder
6-Boston Red Rocks
7-Manhattan Beach
8-JK Will Power
9-Check Six
10-Talk Show