Meadowlands: Surick with plenty of horsepower this weekend
Freehold’s leading trainer Nick Surick has his eye on some bigger prizes this weekend as he sends out eight from his ever-growing stable over the Friday-Saturday programs at The Meadowlands.
“I have some horses that fit the series races they are running,” said Surick when asked about the sudden shift in scenery for some.
The opening leg of the Leap Year Series at The Meadowlands for lower conditioned-level trotters was an opportunity to send Keystone Orion to the big track. A winner in four of his first five starts in 2020 at Freehold, the 11-year-old tests the big track but has to do it from post 10 in Friday’s first race. “He’s a horse we bought specifically for TJ (Miller) to race in the amateurs,” said Surick. With those races not filling at Freehold, Surick has made the most of opportunity and won races at the claiming level.
“He doesn’t try too hard and that’s why we put him on the front end,” said Surick of Keystone Orion, who likely fits well in this series by virtue of his claiming tag.
Another multiple winner in 2020 is the 4-year-old mare Sexy Wow, who arrives for Friday’s second race following a pair of solid wins at Yonkers. “I’ve brought her to the big track to hopefully get a faster record on her,” said Surick, quite aware that owner Crawford Farms would benefit from that. “Right now we have to see where she is. If she could step up her game a bit and be competitive in races like the Miss Versatility then she’ll race this year. If not they will probably breed her to Chapter Seven.”
House Hubby is another of the Surick-trained horses that fits the Leap Year event and he drew post three in Friday’s third race. “He made a lot of starts last year and we decided he needed a break,” said Surick of the now-5-year-old House Hubby. “I think this class is good for him but he’s a 1:55 trotter and if they go faster than that he’s not going to be competitive.” Surick was pointing to the last start in this class by House Hubby when the winner scored in 1:53 4/5.
In Friday’s fifth race, another Leap Year leg, Surick will send out Icingon De Cupcake looking for his third straight score. “I think he’s more of a big track horse,” said Surick.
Surick had Badlilvelocity sent his way in the last week and couldn’t say what he expects from the 5-year-old mare in Friday’s 10th race. “You just never know how they are going to fit here after racing in some of those classes in Ohio,” Surick said frankly.
Redneck Fortune (post 8) in Friday’s 13th race finale has been razor sharp at Freehold and steps up in class somewhat, but that didn’t seem to be a worry for his trainer. “This horse was on his way to the Amish,” said Surick. “I found out about it and we decided to take him for $2,000. He’s got some class and he’s been racing very well for me. Even that last start (a head loss) impressed me because the horse that won is probably a $30-40,000 claimer.”
The load will be significantly lighter for Surick’s stable at The Meadowlands on Saturday night with just two entered. Primo Giovanni (post 3, third race) is looking to get on the right track and perhaps may do so with the drop in class. “We were having trouble with him and finally got him to stop making breaks,” Surick said. “After his race (December 14) where he opened a big lead and just refused to finish, we decided to geld him. Enough was enough.” Primo Giovanni’s next two starts were somewhat improved at Freehold but he didn’t fire against tougher foes last Saturday at The Meadowlands.
For most successful trainers looking for the best conditions to race a horse is paramount. Surick kind of knew that Machiavelli wouldn’t race as well on a half-mile track as he does on the bigger ovals. “We tried to get him to navigate the half because he was eligible to the lower classes,” said Surick.
While Machiavelli returns to the Meadowlands following a fifth-place effort at Yonkers, his trainer believes he could relish the change in scenery. “I think this series fits him like a glove,” Surick said. Machiavelli earned $110K while finishing first or second on 20 occasions in 2019. Though winless thus far in the new year, this division of the Leap Year Series (post 9, seventh race) could get him on the winning track.
Surick is rather excited about the next coming weeks with some of his heavy hitters completing their final training preps and getting ready to race. One of last year’s biggest surprises was the emergence of The Wall as a force in the aged pacing ranks. Given a chance to compete in the Levy series he posted some impressive upsets. The Wall later went on to capture The Camluck and earned $298K in a long season that included 40 starts. “He’s trained back in 2:05 and I think we’ll have him qualified by the end of February,” said Surick.
Of interest with The Wall, a son of Somebeachsomewhere, is that he’s more competitive at a higher level on small tracks. “I would say he’s just as fast on the half as he is on the mile track,” Surick said.
The Wall is prepping for the Levy (MGM) series once again but he’s not likely to step out to Yonkers before some action at The Meadowlands. “The owner believes that you have to put some speed into them to get them ready for the half-mile track. So we’ll probably qualify him once and then race at The Meadowlands,” said Surick.
Joining The Wall in pursuit of the MGM at Yonkers will be Funknwaffles. The now 6-6-year-old son of American Ideal is approaching the $1 million mark in career earnings. “He’s been in 2:10,” said Surick, suggesting he’s a few weeks behind his stablemate but likely will be ready for stakes action.