MUSCLULAR MATCHMAKER
It was Bramasole (Muscles Yankee-Dream of Power) getting up to edge Silver Springs in the PERRETTI MATCHMAKER at The Meadowlands on Friday night. Being a Muscles Yankee, you’re not likely to breed her to Muscles Yankee though she’ll cross superbly with Windsongs Legacy, Revenue or Dream Vacation which ever one they choose having won a free service to a Perretti trotting stallion.

THE BEAT GOES ON.
They were “Rockin on Bandstand” some 80 miles Northeast of Philadelphia PA on what is perhaps the greatest stage in Harness Racing known as The Meadowlands Racetrack as Rocknroll Hanover demonstratively illustrated he is indeed the class of this crop. The son of Western Ideal-Rich N Elegant was overpowering in open lengths victory in a stakes record 1:48.3 According to trainer Brett Pelling Rocknroll’s next start will likely be The Oliver Wendell Holmes at The Meadowlands on Hambletonian day.

MATTIOS AMIGOS
Don’t care how they pronounce it but the intention was Mattios like Adios from Armbro Vamoose and what a nice filly she’s turned out to be for Jimmy Tolson holding off the highly regarded Mythical in the $175,000 New Jersey sires stakes final for 2-year old pacing fillies in 1:54.3.

This year’s edition from Armbro Vamoose is CHOCOLART MOOSE who is as nice an Artiscape colt as you’re likely to see. He’s headed for Harrisburg in November.

And as far as the still potent Matt’s Scooter is concerned we’ll be taking a quintet of his get comprising two colts and three fillies to what should be an invigorated Garden State sale at the showcase New Jersey Horse Park in September. They include two colts MATTINEZ (Matt’s Scooter-Armbro Tequila) MAMATTMA GHANDI (Matt’s Scooter-Arts Golden Lady) and three fillies COSMATTICS (Matt’s Scooter-Capades Dancer) GEOMATTICAL (Matt’s Scooter-Key Of Life) and MATTCEDONIA (Matt’s Scooter-Zara)

This consignment will also feature four Artiscapes including ART HEARTED (R G Hannah) first foal from a sister to $660,000+ winner and 1:50 performer Noble Intent

Remember we’ve sold some pretty good horses at The Garden State sale over the years including 05 NJSS filly champion MATTIOS and this year’s stellar Free-For Aller MALTESE ARTIST.

WHO WAS THE MASKED MAN?
Hey Dave Palone whaddya do now? PALONE RANGER (Western Ideal-Mercy Mercy Mercy) was rather impressive winning his baby race in 1:57.1 on Saturday. Indeed, the time may come, when you’ll have to choose between driving PALONE RANGER or DAVE PANLONE another nice pacing colt. Its inevitable they’ll draw in together at some point.

Commissioner Scotty Tickets was wondering “how come they didn’t switch the Dancer, and Delvin Miller, to Saturday which would have set up a blockbuster Pace card similar to what Woodbine presented on Cup Night?” seeing as how the Hambletonian and Oaks elims and finals are on Saturdays anyway.

The Commissioner was also wondering if anyone is indeed “judging the judges” after Southfork got placed last for “pacing” at the wire after finishing second to Ken Warkenton is Friday’s 10th race. Seems the numbers were officially posted and anyone that backed Warkenton and third place finishing Getting Down And Dirty in the exacta got zilch as the disqualification occurred long after the race was declared official. Moreover, Southfork actually finished some two and one half lengths behind the winner but at least four lengths ahead of the third place finisher. No matter how many times you watch it from here on in, the Hopkins-Taylor verdict ain’t gonna be reversed! Nor will the eligible receiver erroneously declared ineligible be reinstated to eligible when Monday morning reviewing declares the officials blew one.

Echoing DAVE LIKER’s sentiments in the Horseman concerning official and unofficial times clocking horses is something we always did in those prehistoric days before replays. His story about Steeler who was manually clocked in 1:52.3 is somewhat reminiscent of the No Nukes saga in the 1981 Woodrow Wilson. After his paddock and starting gate fiascos No Nukes paced an incredible three quarters to not only catch the field but to loom boldly on the final turn before expiring from his arduous efforts. Who knows how fast he was actually timed.

Remember reading about a colt named Lumber Dream who thought he was Silky Sullivan out at Santa Anita (Yes Virginia, they ran HARNESS at Santa Anita Park) in the dinosaur days. Seems Lumber Dream refused to start, conceded the field about 100 lengths and passed them all in midstretch in about 2:04 and some odd. At the time (1961) 3-year-olds in March seldom if ever approached 2:00 on any sized track. It was calculated that Lumber Dream must have individually clocked 1:58 and a piece unheard of back then,

Saw him at Yonkers one torrential evening where after breaking at the start he regained 15 lengths got past Sweet Miriam (Hi Howard!) at the quarter pole, only to make another ground losing break and still beat the first of the outstanding Kaola Hanover’s girls who by years end was considered second or third best to Way Wave.

Lumber Dream whose name whose name was either Lumber Dream or Tillys Boy depending upon what year it was (Yes Virginia they did those things back then as we all remember how Meadow Newport got named Adios Mir after changing owners) eventually became a very significant stallion down under.

Can also recall Speedy Scot making one of his notorious starting gate breaks in his first start back as a 4-year-old at Yonkers in a mile and one quarter event. I got Scottie the last mile in 2:01 after calculating that he regained some 15 lengths in the opening quarter which was officially clocked in:30.4 Which means Speedy Scot trotted his mile and one quarter in the vicinity of 2:29 at a time when Porterhouse held the existing record of 2:32.3

Yes Dave Liker! We agree!

Bob Marks