The Meadows: Adios eliminations draw 26 entrants for Saturday

A field of 26 top 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers, the largest and deepest in many years, will contest the 53rd edition of the $475,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows.

Three $25,000 eliminations are set for Saturday (July 20), first post 1:05 p.m., while the $400,000 final goes the following Saturday, when the program begins at 11:35 a.m. The final, race 15 on the 16-race card, anchors a blockbuster program that includes five other Grand Circuit stakes as well as a $50,000 Invitational Pace.

Among the headliners in the Adios field are Working Ona Mystery, who finished third in the finals of both the Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace and the North America Cup, beaten by a combined margin of less than two lengths; Brassy Hanover, who overcame 45-1 odds to earn second in the $500,000 Hempt final, and Captain Victorious, third-place finisher in the Hempt final despite a brutal trip from post eight.

Tony Alagna leads all trainers with five Adios entrants while Ron Burke and Ray Schnittker will be represented by three apiece. Other trainers with multiple contenders are Brett Pelling and Norm Parker, each with two.

The first three finishers in each elimination return — and winners get to choose their post positions — for the final. The other post positions will be determined by random draw.

Here are the fields for the eliminations, in post position order with trainers and tentative driver assignments:

Elimination #1, Race 7

Post-Horse-Driver-Trainer

1. Odds On Boca Raton-Dexter Dunn-Tony Alagna

2. Workin Ona Mystery-Tim Tetrick-Brian Brown

3. Captain Victorious-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke

4. Mangogh-Tim Tetrick-Bruce Saunders

5. Love Me Some Lou-David Miller-Tom Cancelliere

6. Wild Wild Western-Mike Wilder-Norm Parker

7. Branquinho-Tyler Buter-Ray Schnittker

8. Covered Bridge-David Miller-Jessica Okusko

9. Captain Trevor-David Miller-Tony Alagna

Elimination #2, Race 8

Post-Horse-Driver-Trainer

1. Prince Of Tides-Dave Palone-Ross Croghan

2. Quatrain Blue Chip-Dave Palone-Chris Oakes

3. Reigning Deo-Andrew McCarthy-Brett Pelling

4. Latissimus Hanover-Tyler Buter-Ray Schnittker

5. U S Captain-Dexter Dunn-Tony Alagna

6. Marco Beach-Dexter Dunn-Travis Alexander

7. De Los Cielos Deo-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke

8. Volley Ball Beach-Tony Hall-Norm Parker

Elimination #3, Race 10

Post-Horse-Driver-Trainer

1. Can’t Beach That-Andrew McCarthy-Brett Pelling

2. Highlandbeachlover-Aaron Merriman-Kelly O’Donnell

3. Stag Party-Brian Sears-Casie Coleman

4. Brassy Hanover-Corey Callahan-Eddie Dennis

5. Semi Tough-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke

6. Escapetothebeach-Corey Callahan-Tony Alagna

7. Captain Cash-Andrew McCarthy-Tony Alagna

8. Captain Malicious-Tyler Buter-Ray Schnittker

9. Southwind Ozzi-Brian Sears-Bill MacKenzie

-edited release (Evan Pattak for The Meadows)