Meadowlands: Tetrick-driven duo deliver in Goldsmith Maid elims

Tim Tetrick guided Soiree Hanover and R Melina to wins in the pair of $20,000 Goldsmith Maid elims for rookie trotting fillies on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Soiree Hanover took the lead past the 29 3/5 quarter in the first elimination and followed up that soft panel with a half in just 59 1/5 and three-quarters in 1:28 1/5. The sprint was on to the wire from there, and Soiree Hanover used a 27 3/5 final kicker to hold sway by half a length in 1:55 4/5. Pizzelle (Andy McCarthy) closed well from second-over to finish in the runner-up spot and Honey's Sweet (Yannick Gingras) was a locked-in-the-pocket third. Walcango (Jordan Stratton) collected fourth from first-up and Pisco Sour (Ake Svanstedt) got fifth. Pisco Sour would then win the draw between the two fifth-place finishers in the elims to get a spot in next week's final.

"I try not to put her on the lead. I just think she's so good following a helmet, but the way it was going to shake out, I was going to sit in third off really slow fractions, so I just went ahead and moved her to the front. I figured if we're going to down there cheap, she could do that fine," remarked Tetrick post-race. "If you keep too many in it, they can all sprint, but this filly has been good all year. She's always trotted home good, so I wasn't too worried about it. I knew she could get the job done."

By Walner and bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, Soiree Hanover, trained by Lucas Wallin for owner Snogarps Gard Inc., sold for $110,000 at the 2022 Standardbred Horse Sale. She made her sixth trip to the winner's circle in her ninth appearance, has pocketed $603,675 and kicked back $2.60 to win as the 1-5 favorite.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

In the other elimination R Melina tipped out of fourth going to the 28 2/5 quarter but wound up two-wide until just past the 57 second half where she cleared Glamorous Hanover (Todd McCarthy). It was all R Melina from there, as the Matron Stakes winner sailed through three-quarters in 1:25 2/5 and then came home in 28 2/5 to win by 4 3/4 lengths in 1:53 4/5. Glamorous Hanover, French Champagne (Svanstedt) and Paulina Hanover (A. McCarthy) also moved on to the final.

"Once I got past the half and the way the track is kind of playing, I was a little unsure. It was big fractions there for this time of year with these fillies. I went on the third quarter a little bit, and she just kept marching. She was super-good tonight," Tetrick stated. "She can be a little aggressive at times, and she let me get her off the car, but she was starting to get a little aggravated over at the quarter. I just said I might as well go ahead and move her to the front. From there, she kept marching, and she looked good. Felt good, too.

"I know which way I'm probably going to go (on who to drive in the final), but it's a very tough decision. It's not easy."

A daughter of Chapter Seven bred by Marsh Valley Standardbreds, R Melina is trained by John Butenschoen for owners M & L of Delaware LLC. and Alabama Harness Associates. She has a record of 7-1-1 from 11 starts, has earned $325,613 and paid $4.00 to win as the even-money favorite.

Sambuca Hanover, who was second in a qualifier on Saturday afternoon at the Meadowlands, earned an automatic entry into the Goldsmith Maid final by virtue of her win in last week's Kindergarten Series final.