Meadowlands: Norman trotters prepared for battle on Saturday

Patience is a major part of the job description for those willing to become trainers of young trotters. Richard "Nifty" Norman has proven over time to have the discipline to develop some of the sport's finest, including some that needed more time than others to reach potential.

On Saturday night, the 4-year-old Chin Chin Hall, a career winner of over $500K, hopes to step up his game as he tackles the best in one of two $50,000 divisions in the second leg of the Graduate Series at The Meadowlands.

Chin Chin Hall drew post six in a field of 10, race 10 on the 13-race card, which includes likely favorite Gimpanzee. "I was thrilled with his second-place finish," Norman said with regard to the first leg of the Graduate contested on June 14 at Tioga Downs. "Gimpanzee is a champion. He might have been the best horse last year and he looks the best this year."

Norman saw Chin Chin Hall and driver Dexter Dunn chase Gimpanzee around the track and hold their own, missing just a length-and-a-quarter in the 1:51 3/5 clocking. It was the second start of the year for Chin Chin Hall and the second time he had finished second in sub-1:52 speed. He is no longer wearing hopples this year, a decision Norman suggested could have come earlier.

"I think he was starting to get better towards the end of last season when I got him," said Norman. "He's a great-gaited horse that’s trained without hopples all winter." Clearly Chin Chin Hall’s talent has always been there, but driving him aggressively is something that wasn't attempted very often during his freshman and sophomore campaigns. In both 2020 starts, Chin Chin Hall has shown plenty of spring from the starting gate and that was most evident at Tioga where he parked Gimpanzee much of the 26 4/5 opening quarter.

On Saturday, Chin Chin Hall faces a solid group, with Gimpanzee outside of him in post eight and last year's Beal Memorial upsetter Marseille making his 4-year-old debut from the pole-position for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt. Trainer Marcus Melander's Graduate-leg-winning mare Grand Swan is also sandwiched in the field from post seven.

Norman has solid expectations for his other Graduate division entrant, Southwind Avenger, an Ontario-sired son of E L Titan that made his season’s debut on Tuesday night at Yonkers and returns on short notice from the rail in the sixth race, first division Saturday.

"Sure we'll bring him back on Saturday," said Norman, confirming two starts in a five-day span. "He definitely drew into the easier division. I hope we can get him a spot in the (Graduate) final."

Southwind Avenger will face eight rivals, including the speedy but at times erratic Don't Let'em, who scored effortlessly in a 1:52 4/5 qualifier on June 12 at The Meadowlands after breaking stride in his first qualifier for trainer Nancy Takter. Don't Let'em drew post three.

Amigo Volo won last year’s Breeders Crown for Norman and won half of his 12 starts on the way to banking $610K in 2019 as a 2-year-old. Nevertheless, the altered son of Father Patrick returns this year and his trainer is looking to make him into a different type of horse.

"We've been taking him off the pace all winter," said Norman. "He's a smaller horse and was able to win on the front end a lot last year because he was a quick leaver and he could open up on a field. He's not going to be able to lose horses like that this year."

Amigo Volo has raced off the pace in all three of his qualifiers but has yet to start in a pari-mutuel race. That changes on Saturday night when he faces seven rivals in a $25,000 Open (Race 4) at The Meadowlands. "I tried to get him a race the last two weeks," Norman said. "But none filled."

Given the changes in the stakes schedule, Amigo Volo was a horse that likely would have gone to Pocono for the Beal, but with that race canceled, his trainer expects to stay close to home in New Jersey. "He may go in the Reynolds and the Stanley Dancer," said Norman. Both stakes races are scheduled at The Meadowlands.

Post time returns to 7:15 PM this weekend at The Meadowlands with 13 races programmed both Friday and Saturday night.