Red Mile: Lazarus looks to get on a roll in Allerage

Driver Yannick Gingras would seem to be under immense pressure given he’s been chosen to drive Lazarus since his arrival in North America. Yet the sport’s top driver doesn’t feel that way.

“I think there’s more pressure on Jimmy (Takter),” Gingras said Wednesday. “I think the hype surrounding this horse has made expectations go through the roof, but the horse is a great horse.”

On Saturday afternoon at The Red Mile, Lazarus will make another well-hyped appearance in the Allerage Farms event for open pacers. Again he’ll meet what people have come to accept as his rival in McWicked among others in a solid field of 10 going for $179,000.

“The horse had to change hemispheres and I think what he’s done has been impressive,” said Gingras of Lazarus, “I think with more time to acclimate he’ll be even better.”

While time has been short and expectations have been high, Lazarus has still captured a pair of major stakes races in his four North American appearances and hasn’t raced poorly in his two defeats.

The challenge this week is perhaps a little different in that just winning as opposed to breaking records is paramount. The challenge was made a bit more intense with McWicked landing the pole position in the field, though Lazarus will leave from post five.

The two met most recently in the Hoosier Park Pacing Derby on September 21 where Lazarus went to the front and stayed there scoring in 1:48 4/5 by a neck over McWicked, with Donttellmeagain not far back in third.

McWicked defeated Lazarus in the Canadian Pacing Derby by going first over but in both his losses he had the benefit or impediment of cover, depending on which side of the fence you are sitting.

The Allerage has other horses that could play a role in upending the two obvious favorites and Donttellmeagain, fresh off a wicked trip in Dayton’s Pacing Derby, is certainly a player. The 4-year-old has blossomed this year for trainer Jim King Jr. and despite landing post 10 on Saturday, has the versatility to be in the hunt. Tim Tetrick will be in the bike as usual.

Gingras has a few other assignments on the stakes-rich Red Mile Saturday afternoon 11-race card with a first post of 1:00 p.m. He’ll guide Youaremycandygirl in the $113,750 Garnsey Memorial for sophomore pacing fillies. Last year’s Dan Patch award winner has at times struggled this season and perhaps no more than her recent appearance in the Jugette. “She tied up that day,” said Gingras. “She just wasn’t herself at any point. She’s never made a break.”

Gingras hopes that the Youaremycandygirl that shows up this Saturday will be different. “Ronnie (Burke) told me that she trained fantastic last Saturday so I expect she’ll be good,” said Gingras.

Youaremycandygirl, a winner in six of 12 starts this year, landed post four while rivals Kissin In The Sand and Jugette winner Alexas Power drew posts six and seven respectively.

There are five divisions of the International Stallion Stakes for juvenile male pacers scheduled throughout the Red Mile Saturday card and Gingras will have a few opportunities to shine. De Los Cielos Deo is one that he would like to see get back on the winning track. The Pennsylvania-sired son of Captaintreacherous was among the elite in this year’s Sire Stakes program heading into the rich final. “He finished second in the final,” said Gingras. “I was actually pretty happy with that race because the front end wasn’t holding up that well and that’s where I put him.”

De Los Cielos Deo then went to Woodbine Mohawk Park for the Metro elimination, a second-place finish leading up to the final. “The final was puzzling,” said Gingras. “He felt good right up to the three quarters and then he was done. He had never felt that way before.”

Gingras said that trainer Ron Burke looked for answers and none were readily available to explain the seventh-place finish. “They trained him back here last Saturday and they said he was vicious,” Gingras said.

De Los Cielos Deo drew post four inside another son of Captaintreacherous looking to rebound. Captain Ahab, the beaten favorite in the Metro final, drew post six hoping to turn things around from a race that looked nothing like his first seven victories. Captain Ahab landed post six in the $63,000 division carded as race seven.