Meadowlands: Lather Up backs up record-tying performance with Haughton Memorial score

Proving his 1:46 score in last week's Graduate final was no fluke, Lather Up made two moves to gain control and then dominated a field of a dozen to capture the $423,000 William R. Haughton Memorial at the Meadowlands on Saturday night. The 4-year-old by I'm Gorgeous, sent off as the 9-5 favorite, scored in 2:01 1/5 for the mile and one-eighth distance.

Montrell Teague left with purpose from post five but was looped to the first turn by Highalator and This Is The Plan. Following the 25 1/5 opening panel clocked by This Is The Plan, Teague sent Lather Up on a second speed move and cleared into the backstretch. Teague was able to carve out fractions of 53 1/5 and 1:21 as Always A Prince moved into contention without cover and towed, at a distance, second choice McWicked into contending position.

Once into the homestretch Teague called on Lather Up, and the Clyde Francis-trained stallion shifted into high gear, losing pocket sitter This Is The Plan and the closers at the same time. Lather Up sprinted a fourth quarter in 26 4/5 and then finished with a final eighth in 13 2/5 to score by more than a length. This Is The Plan held his position for second, with Always A Prince also determined in third ahead of McWicked.

Lather Up won for the sixth time this year in nine tries for owners and breeders Gary and Barbara Iles.

"I wanted to make sure I was up close. I've seen how the races are playing out tonight," said Teague. "I was just trying to back it down and waiting for someone to come."

No one came, and Lather Up once again flashed his brilliance, this time with an extra eighth of a mile as a kicker. Lather Up returned $5.80 to win.