DAVE LITTLE’S MEADOWLANDS PACE WINTERBOOK TOP 10

Thursday, January 4, 2024

DAVE LITTLE’S MEADOWLANDS PACE WINTERBOOK TOP 10

1. Captain Albano (PaSS final; 7-for-9, $445,680; Todd McCarthy/Noel Daley; son of Captaintreacherous, who won the 2013 Pace; second to Gem Quality in the Breeders Crown as the 2-5 favorite; took mark of 1:49.2 in the Bluegrass at the Red Mile)
2. Better Is Nice (7-for-11, $510,120; Andy McCarthy/Tony Alagna; took mark of 1:50.3 in the KySS final at the Red Mile; won the NJSS final in 1:50.4 at The Big M; son of Bettor’s Wish)
3. Captain’s Quarters (2-for-5, $389,143; Jody Jamieson/Herbert Holland; won the $717,800 Metro at Mohawk in his lifetime best of 1:49.3; only other win came in an overnight as the Metro, which was on Sept. 23, was the son of Captaintreacherous’ final outing of the year)
4. Captain Luke (Governor’s Cup; 2-for-12, $332,109; recorded his only two wins of the year in his last two starts after Lasix was added; won the Governor’s Cup elim, and then the Governor’s Cup final – in a lifetime-best 1:51 – for Todd McCarthy; Tony Alagna is the trainer of the son of Captaintreacherous)
5. Boston Rocks (NYSS final, 4-for-13, $352,922; 11 OTB finishes; Tim Tetrick/Steve Elliott for the final four starts of the year, Jason Bartlett/Michael Deters before that while in New York; won the $225,000 NYSS final at Yonkers on Sept. 9 before missing a neck in two straight stakes events at the Red Mile; all 2023 wins came on half-mile tracks in New York)
6. Lou Vuitton (4-for-14, $215,283; won the $179,200 Kindergarten at The Meadowlands in 1:51.1 getting up by a head over favorite Courtship; driven by a handful of different drivers for trainer Ron Burke; consistent sort cashed a check in every 2023 start; son of Sweet Lou)
7. Legendary Hanover (6-for-9, $303,114; finished second to Captain’s Quarters in the Metro as the even-money public choice; son of Meadowlands Pace 2017 winner Huntsville opened 2023 with six consecutive wins; 2^nd in the Metro, then 2^nd in his Breeders Crown elimination before a 9^th place finish in the Breeders Crown to finish his year; James MacDonald/Anthony Beaton; Linda Toscano in his final two starts)
8. Wish You Well (6-for-14, $196,485; 11 OTB finishes; son of Bettor’s Wish; several different drivers/Nifty Norman; took LTB 1:52.3 in a NJSS preliminary before finishing third in the final)
9. Maxim Hanover (4-for-12, $190,396; 9 OTB finishes; son of Captaintreacherous; several different drivers for Robert Cleary; pulled off an off-the-pace, 8-1 upset in the $145,000 Matron Stakes at Dover Downs)
10. Ivy Park (2-for-9, $180,000; 5 OTB finishes; son of Captaintreacherous; Gingras/Takter; two wins, both in 1:53.4; one in the KySS, the other in the Pa All-Stars)