Meadowlands: Trotters tussle in Tompkins-Geers Stakes

Second-place finishes in both his Yonkers Trot elimination and the final had Double Deceiver more than ready to take a solid field of colts and geldings down the road in one of four Tompkins-Geers divisions for 3-year-old trotters at the Meadowlands Saturday night.

The gelded son of Cantab Hall-Sarcy sat a two-hole from start to finish in both of his Yonkers outings but used a different tactic this time around in the $43,500 dash, one that might have surprised driver Dave Miller just a bit.

"He actually was a little aggressive tonight," said Miller of his horse's march to the front early. "He was feeling pretty good, so I just let him trot out."

Double Deceiver was tracked every step of the way by Finn Palema through fractions of 27 4/5, 57 3/5 and 1:25 4/5, and had to brace for the stretch drive when that Ake Svanstedt trainee, who was the 9-5 second choice, vacated the pocket to come after the leader.

"My horse fought [Finn Palema] a long way through the stretch," said Miller. "And I couldn't be happier with him."

A Carter Pinske trainee, Double Deceiver held off Finn Palema by a neck in a lifetime-best equaling 1:52 3/5. Classic Hill was third.

Double Deceiver paid $4.40 as the 6-5 favorite and has given his connections plenty to consider as to whether they will go in the Hambletonian eliminations next week.

The other division for colts and geldings, which sported a purse of $44,000, went to S I P for driver Corey Callahan and trainer Ron Burke.

Dismissed at odds of 9-1, S I P led at every call to win for the sixth time from 21 lifetime starts. The mile was timed in a lifetime-best 1:52 for the son of Bar Hopping-Barbara Brooks, who paid $20.00 to win. He, too, is Hambletonian eligible.

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Mon Cheval won the first of two Geers splits for fillies (for a purse of $35,750) after stopping the clock in a lifetime-best 1:52. The daughter of Father Patrick-Shake It Cerry was driven by Jimmy Takter and trained by Jimmy's daughter, Nancy. As the even-money choice, Mon Cheval returned $4.20 to win.

Gracelyn Hanover had to go parked out for the final half-mile before prevailing in determined fashion in the other $36,250 division for fillies in 1:52 3/5 for Callahan and John Butenschoen. The daughter of Walner-Gatka Hanover returned $27.40 to win after going to the gate as the 12-1 fourth choice in the wagering.

Both Mon Cheval and Gracelyn Hanover are Hambletonian Oaks eligible.

A LITTLE MORE: Hot Mess Express, the standout filly from the Tony Alagna barn who earned just over $630,000 during 2021, got into the win column for the first time this year by taking a mid-range conditioned mare pace in 1:50 flat as the 3-5 favorite. Callahan and Todd McCarthy led the driver colony with three winners apiece. Pinske trained a pair to victory lane, one of which was Venerate, the 2020 Mohawk Million winner, who scored in a high-end conditioned trot in 1:52 4/5 as the 6-5 public choice. All-source handle totaled $2,538,554. Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m. The featured action on next Saturday's card will be the eliminations for the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks and $1-million Hambletonian.

--press release (Meadowlands)--