The Meadows: American History, Hitman Hill prevail in Adios eliminations

Sons of American Ideal swept today's pair of $25,000 Delvin Miller Adios eliminations for 3-year-old pacing colts at The Meadows, with American History bouncing back from a tenth-place finish in the Meadowlands Pace, and Hitman Hill winning after a thrilling stretch drive against Dorsoduro Hanover.

In the first elimination Wes Delight (Corey Callahan) blasted out from post eight, and he would clear Gd Western Joe (Dave Palone) for the lead as the field passed the opening quarter in 27 2/5. American History (Yannick Gingras) was fourth at that point, but he would go out and on the attack, and he landed on the lead before the 55 3/5 half-mile marker.

Summer Travel (David Miller) tried it first-up in the backstretch, but he couldn't reach American History, who clicked off three-quarters in 1:23 1/5, and a 27 4/5 final kicker got American History to the wire a length and a quarter to the good in a 1:51 mile. Done Well (Tim Tetrick) was second-over on the dull cover and came on to get second, with Wes Delight right with him in third. Summer Travel pressed on to get fourth, and Gd Western Joe held fifth.

“That definitely wasn’t the plan today, but sometimes you have to play the cards the way they’re dealt,” Gingras said. “That’s the way the race unfolded today—a big difference in fractions from last week. I’m sure that’s part of the reason he held on today.”

American History is trained by Tony Alagna for co-owner/breeder Brittany Farms LLC. and co-owners Marvin Katz and American History Racing. This was American History's sixth career victory, and he pushed his bankroll to $132,261. He was the even-money favorite and returned $4.00 to win.

“Sometimes you have to call an audible,” Alagna said. “Yannick thought more horses would leave than actually did. He was planning on tripping out, but when he saw the fractions, he decided to take a shot and move to the front.”

The other elimination saw an early scramble for the lead, with Babes Dig Me (David Miller), Hitman Hill (Brett Miller) and Dorsoduro Hanover (Matt Kakaley) all pressing for the top. Babes Dig Me touched down on the engine first, but Hitman Hill looped him at the 27 second opening quarter, with Dorsoduro Hanover continuing an advance on the rim to claim the lead past that point. Dorsoduro Hanover would put the half on the board in 54 4/5, and Hempt winner Springsteen (Simon Allard) was first-up at that point, towing a second-over Larry Karr (Gingras) and a third-over Thinkbig Dreambig (Jordan Stratton) into the mix.

Dorsoduro Hanover gave the cold shoulder to Springsteen to the 1:22 three-quarters and around the far turn, with Hitman Hill just waiting for room, Larry Karr pulling three-wide midway through the final bend, and Thinkbig Dreambig pushing out four-wide. The room for Hitman Hill became available as they spun into the stretch, and Brett Miller fished the plugs out that point, looking for more. He got more, but Dorsoduro Hanover was game, and Thinkbig Dreambig was towering up on the outside as well. Hitman Hill edged by in the shadow of the wire, though, downing Dorsoduro Hanover by a nose in a 1:50 clocking. Thinkbig Dreambig was a good third, half a length back, and Babes Dig Me came in fourth.

The last spot in the final went to Gd Western Joe as he has higher career earnings than Odds On Lauderdale (Andrew McCarthy), who was fifth in the second elimination.

“Dorsoduro went some kind of mile in his last start in the Meadowlands Pace,” Miller said. “I was happy to follow him. “I could have gone either way, but my colt was running out,” he said. “That’s why I chose to go outside. Dorsoduro fought me all the way to the wire. I wasn’t even sure if we got up. I’ve been high on my colt since Day 1. I think he’s as good as any 3-year-old out there.”

Chris Oakes trains gelding Hitman Hill for owners Tom Hill and Northfork Racing Stable. Hitman Hill is now a nine-time winner in his life, and he has now earned $274,903. A 5-1 shot, Hitman Hill returned $13.00 to win.

The undercard featured four Pennsylvania Sire Stakes divisions for 2-year-old pacing colts, and Ron Burke and Yannick Gingras would double up. They struck first with undefeated Captaintreacherous colt De Los Cielos Deo in a 1:51 3/5 performance, and then Somebeachsomewhere colt Semi Tough broke his maiden in the finale thanks to a 1:51 1/5 performance out of the pocket.

“From the first time I drove him in Florida, he was my favorite,” said Gingras of De Los Cielos Deo, who is campaigned by Burke Racing Stable, Larry Karr, J&T Silva-Purnell&Libby and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. “He’s never disappointed. He’s been there from the start, and he’s showing it now. What we like best about him is that he’s so smart. You want to pull, he goes. You want to go back in the hole, he goes back in the hole. He’s like a 6-year-old who knows what to do.”

Also scoring victories were Sweet Lou colt Sugar Factory in 1:52 1/5 for driver Corey Callahan and trainer Tom Cancelliere, and Somebeachsomewhere colt Ehmantraut in 1:52 2/5 for driver Dave Palone and trainer Lou Pena.

“We’ll see how far up he can go without torturing him,” Tom Cancelliere said of his $65,000 yearling acquisition. “His upside? We don’t know yet. He hasn’t faltered yet. He hasn’t told us, that’s enough. I want to race him only 10 or 12 times this year.”

--quotes courtesy of The Meadows--