A 13-race qualifying session went to post at Magical Acres on Wednesday (June 30) featuring the fourth set of baby races over the Chesterfield oval, with a total of 11 groups of freshmen going to gate.
In the lone dash for freshmen pacing males, Pebble Beach sparked in the last half to win drawing away in a 1:54.4 mile. Driver Todd McCarthy circled the Downbytheseaside colt past early leader Vicious by a :31 first quarter to lead the field to a 1:00 half. McCarthy then motored the Noel Daley trainee up the backside, clipping three-quarters in 1:27.2 and kicking clear of his competition off the turn to win by 4 1/4 lengths. Vicious held second and Boston rounded the trio.
“My best one was very good,” Daley said, referring to Pebble Beach. “A lot of the others were having first qualifiers, and they all got around, none of them made a break, which is really good. Some were surprisingly good, some were OK.
“If this wasn’t the last week here, most of them would have waited a week or two. I just wanted to take advantage of it. But a few of them are still a few weeks away from where they really need to be. But in the whole scheme of things, the real good one was good.”
Conditioner Noel Daley also sent the swiftest of the 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings in the first of their three divisions with his Muscle Hill colt Stamped By Lindy. Sitting second through early fractions of :31 and 1:01, driver Andrew McCarthy angled Stamped By Lindy wide of pacesetter Player One and took the lead past three-quarters in 1:30.2. The pair downed Player One into the stretch and scooted to a 3 3/4-length victory in 1:59.2 with Can Do Fashion, making a break at the start, finishing last in the three-horse field.
The quickest mile from the three splits for pacing fillies came in the final division when driver Jack Pelling popped pocket with Wheres My Girl and hit the beam in 1:57. Pelling, driving for trainer and his father Brett Pelling, settled into second behind pacesetter Artemida through fractions of :29.2, :58.3 and 1:26.4. He then lifted the daughter of American Ideal off the pegs and sprinted for home while holding off the late charge of Little Cindy Lou by a head. Artemida faltered to last of the three, beaten 5 1/2 lengths.
Pauline Hanover posted the quickest mile of the four divisions for trotting fillies with a 1:59.4 win. The Carter Pinske-trained daughter of Father Patrick floated from the pylon post into third while Sweet Tomato set an early pace of :31.2 and 1:01.1. Driver Dexter Dunn then tipped Pauline Hanover first over up the backside and loomed closer to the leader passing three-quarters in 1:30.1. Sweet Tomato dug in to hold the lead through the stretch but Pauline Hanover powered forward in the final strides to win by three-quarter lengths with Delavious finishing third another nine lengths behind.
The abbreviated broadcast, covering the first eight events on the morning, is available in the replay below:
(with files from USTA)