Meadowlands: Doo Wop Hanover takes Graduate final

The best 4-year-old pacing colt in the country is Doo Wop Hanover. That is the only conclusion after the Steve Elliott trainee completed a sweep of the newly formed Graduate series for 4-year-olds on Friday night at the Meadowlands.

The pace was hot from the start with Lyonssomewhere displaying tremendous early speed and parking out both Buswacker and Limelight Beach in a 25 2/5 opening quarter. Limelight Beach would assume the pocket and Bushwacker had to take back to third.

Rockeyed Optimist came to the rim approaching the half in 53 1/5 and tried to tow uncoupled stablemate Doo Wop Hanover into the race. But Doo Wop Hanover had to tip wide just before the 1:21 three quarter marker as Rockeyed Optimist failed to mount a serious charge.

The race was wide-open at the head of the lane, but Doo Wop Hanover fought bravely to best a very game Lyonssomewhere nearing the wire in 1:48. All Bets Off followed the winner from third over and was a closing third.

“He’s turned into a pretty good horse,” said Elliott, who trains the career earner of $566,327 for co-owners Peter Blood and Rick Berks.

“He’s in all the big aged events,” said Blood about Doo Wop Hanover’s future races. “We think he can go with just about anybody.”

John Campbell drove four winners on the card including Doo Wop Hanover ($3.80).