The Meadows: Hellabalou takes Delvin Miller Adios

Hellabalou got to follow favored Water Sports Teen after yielding to sit in the pocket past the opening quarter, then shot through the passing lane to get the orchids in the $375,000 Delvin Miller Adios for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers on Saturday afternoon at The Meadows.

Sent off at 6-1 after winning one of last week's three eliminations and driven by Tim Tetrick, Hellabalou stepped out fast from post five and was able to get to the point midway through the first turn. Water Sports Teen (Joe Bongiorno), who started one slot to his inside in the four-hole, pressed on two-wide, though, and he became the new pace-setter after the 26 second opening quarter.

Water Sports Teen and Bongiorno were able to get to the half in 54 1/5, and then business picked up after that marker as Abuckabett Hanover (Andrew McCarthy) made a steady first-over advance out of the fourth spot. Water Sports Teen kept him at bay to the 1:21 1/5 three-quarters and around the far turn, however, though Water Sports Teen was already under urging on the bend.

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In the stretch Water Sprts Teen tried to see it through to the wire, but the passing lane became available for Hellabalou, and just like he did in his elimination, he blasted through once he had the space en route to a 1 1/4 length triumph in 1:48 4/5. Rockyroad Hanover (Dexter Dunn) got up for second after sitting in the three-hole, taking a shuffle, and then fanning out in the stretch, and Water Sports Teen had to settle for third. Southwind Gendry (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rallied from last to fourth in the lane, and Abuckabett Hanover faded to fifth.

"He's so handy off the gate. I knew I'd be forwardly-placed," said Tetrick. "I jumped off there good and made the lead and got to follow Joe's horse around there."

A Sweet Lou colt bred by Andray Farm and Sergent Stables LLC., Hellabalou is trained by Eddie Dennis for owner Eric Good. He has compiled a record of 6-1-1 from 18 career starts, and he has now earned $327,136. He paid $14.60 to win.

"He's going to get some respect. He was really good today. He's been good the last three or four starts," remarked Dennis. "These are a tough four weeks, but he's just as strong today as he was four weeks ago when he won the elimination of the Meadowlands Pace.

"He had a breathing issue last year. We shut him down, and we got that fixed. All winter he trained back like a good horse."

Hellabalou isn't eligible to next Saturday's Cane Pace at the Meadowlands but does have more stakes engagements coming up.

"He's got the Hempt, the final of the sire stakes in September, and I think the Matron, and maybe we might supplement him to something in there," Dennis stated.