Meadowlands: Sam McKee Memorials won by Catch The Fire, Allywag Hanover

Catch The Fire and Allywag Hanover were triumphant in the two Sam McKee Memorial flights for free-for-all pacers that took place on Saturday afternoon at the Meadowlands.

In the first $157,100 division, Backstreet Shadow (Tim Tetrick) blasted out quickly from post six, but Catch The Fire (Scott Zeron) was out and on the move from the pocket before the opening quarter, which went on the board in 26 seconds, and he took command after that marker. Hot on Catch The Fire's heels was favorite Nicholas Beach (Joe Bongiorno), and he landed on the point in the backstretch.

Nicholas Beach kept the tempo high after he seized control, clicking off a half in 53 2/5 and 1:20 3/5, and Bongiorno called upon him to accelerate even more late on the final bend. Catch The Fire wouldn't go away, though, and Zeron angled him to the outside in the lane to take his shot. It was a great duel to the wire, but Catch The Fire forged his way by late in the mile to score by a neck in a life's-best 1:48. Nicholas Beach held second over a closing Backstreet Shadow. Workin Ona Mystery (Dexter Dunn) advanced from eighth to fourth in the final panel, and Ruthless Hanover (David Miller) came in fifth.

"I never dreamed heading into it I would be able to have a two-hole trip, but Todd (trainer Todd Luther) made a big change," said Zeron. "He changed his bridle to a closed bridle, and he was just a different horse behind the gate. He left out better than I thought he would. He got me in a good position where I felt like I should re-move on Timmy, and Joe was always going to be the one power moving.

"I wouldn't wanted to have been too much further back. Catch The Fire is only half the size of that other one, but he didn't know it down the lane, thank God."

Luther trains Catch The Fire, a 4-year-old son of Captaintreacherous, for owners Black Magic Racing LLC. and CT Stables LLC. Catch The Fire has 14 career wins, and he has now pocketed $881,421. He paid $9.00 to win.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

"We got to get him out of state and start racing where we wanted. He's showed up every week for us. Big day today for him," said Luther, who noted that Catch The Fire served 87 mares while doing stallion duty earlier in the year. "First time I've been here for the Hambo, and he showed up for us. He doesn't know he's that small, but he gives it his all, 100 percent.

"Hopefully he keeps it up. I think we're going to go to the Dan Patch next week. Hopefully he comes out of this good."

The other split carried a purse of $158,500, and it would be This Is The Plan (Yannick Gingras) who rocketed to the front in a 26 2/5 opening quarter. Allywag Hanover (Todd McCarthy) pocketed up and then looked like he was going to come to the outside, but then he opted to sit in, which allowed Cattlewash (David Miller) to brush from third to first in the second quarter instead. Cattlewash motored through a 53 4/5 half, then faced a first-over attack from Shake That House (Andrew McCarthy) on the final bend.

Cattlewash was able to fight off Shake That House to the 1:21 2/5 three-quarters, but Captain Barbossa (Dunn) had moved into contention from second-over, and Todd McCarthy took advantage of Western Joe (Zeron) gapping from third-over to slide off the rail into that position before three-quarters, then fired Allywag Hanover widest. After being fed the clear racetrack, Allywag Hanover surged into the lead in upper stretch, and he would go on to a 1 1/2 length victory in 1:48. Western Joe hit top gear in the stretch and charged hard for second, and This Is The Plan came up the inside for third. Captain Barbossa checked in fourth, and Ana Afreet N (Andy Miller) was fifth.

"I kind of had it my head I would've liked to have sat the two-hole on Cattlewash and took the chance that I was going to shake loose late," remarked Todd McCarthy. "When I went to move, Yannick kind of sat up a little, and I figured I was going to have to do a little bit more to be one spot closer. I just I'll take my chances in the three-hole and hope it panned out.

"It's usually not his go, sort of coming off the rail like that. He struggles in the turns a little bit, but he was pretty well-behaved there today. When I asked him to come out, he was happy to, and he was certainly happy to go forward on the end. The first time I drove him, I think I was first-over in 48 or something like that with him. He ran a good race, but he's actually got phenomenal gate speed, so it's so handy being able to put him in a good spot in these races. He keeps proving himself."

Allywag Hanover, a 4-year-old Captaintreacherous gelding, is trained by Brett Pelling for owner Allywag Stable. Allywag Hanover made his 13th appearance in the winner's circle, has now banked $551,108, and returned $7.60 to win.

For McCarthy, this was his first Hambletonian Day stakes victory, and he was all smiles when speaking to Gabe Prewitt after the race.

"It's beyond anything I thought when I got the plan to come on the States. It was obviously a dream to be driving on a day like this," he stated. "I'm just so lucky that I've had the support from phenomenal trainers like Brett and owners as well that have been willing to take me onboard and give me a shot with horses like this."