Meadowlands: Weeper is no sleeper in Mistletoe Shalee Final

When Corey Callahan last drove Weeper, a three-year-old filly entered in Saturday’s $212,150 Mistletoe Shalee, she was just a freshman. But Callahan was more than impressed.

“She went a mile at the Meadows in 1:51 and change. I think it might have been a record,” Callahan said. In fact it was an ultra-impressive 1:51 4/5 effort taken from well off the pace that the driver recalled so well. That’s high speed for any horse let alone a two-year-old in August of her first season.

Callahan admits that he’s just substituting on Saturday night. “Dave Palone has done an outstanding job with her,” Callahan said. “He’ll get her back when she returns to Pennsylvania.”

Whether on loan or not, Callahan enters Saturday’s race with enough power and confidence to believe the daughter of Allamerican Native has a real chance to win.

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“You have to throw that last line out,” Callahan said, referring to her mile in the Lynch at Pocono two weeks ago. “She drew the outside and Dave took her off the gate. She never had a chance.”

Other than that blemish Weeper has been extraordinary this year, including a 1:49 effort in the Lynch eliminations.

“I don’t think they’re going to go more than :49,” Callahan said. “She’s already been there.”

It’s a well-matched group of 10 fillies in the sixth race of 13 on Saturday at the Meadowlands.

“Ray’s (Remmen, trainer) filly raced big last week,” Callahan said of Sandbetweenurtoes, a winner in all five of her starts this year. “She had to go a long way on the outside and tough it out. I hope that took something out of her.”

Sandbetweenurtoes drew post three while Weeper landed post seven in the field.

While seven of the finalists competed in last week’s elimination, Weeper took the bye afforded trainer Kelly O’Donnell and returns ready.

“I think the week off will do her good,” said Callahan.

Weeper has been 12 times first or second in 14 career starts racing in Pennsylvania. This will be her first trip out of the Quaker state as well as her first trip over a mile track. She brings high speed and handiness to the equation and a driver with a knack for being in the right spot.

Callahan will also be guiding Sometimes Said from post eight in the Meadowlands Pace, carded as race nine.

“I had to choose between him and Doo Wop Hanover,” Callahan said. “I was hoping to base it on post position but they both drew badly.” Inevitably Callahan opted for Sometimes Said based on his opinion that the colt went the better trip in his elimination.

The driver is hoping to see plenty of action from the inside horses in the Meadowlands Pace and hopefully set Sometimes Said up with a third over trip. “I think the two, three, four and five will all leave and hopefully mix it up,” said Callahan of race favorites J K Endofanera, He’s Watching, Tellitlikeitis and Luck Be Withyou.

If he had to pick the horse to beat in the Pace it would be J K Endofanera. “He had two good horses on each side last week and didn’t want to get passed,” said Callahan.

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