Celebrity Playboy in Horse & Groom shocker

A photo was needed to declare the winner in both stakes races contested Thursday night at Meadowlands Racetrack.

Celebrity Playboy stopped the pacesetter Impel Hanover by a nose to pull off a 32-1 upset in the $96,000 Horse & Groom Final.  Driver Ron Pierce and Celebrity Playboy drafted behind Impel Hanover the whole way and burst through late on the pylons en route to a 1:53.3 clocking.  Celebrity Playboy paid $66.20 to win the featured sixth race for trotters.  P J Clark rallied for third after following 3-5 favorite Looking Hanover as he made a futile, first over bid.

"I left hard and wound up in the two-hole and was just hoping something would open up late," Pierce said.  "I wasn't sure I had it at the wire.  Lucky for me, this is a big, tall horse with a long neck."

Celebrity Playboy joins 2008 Older Trotter of the Year Enough Talk as another savvy purchase by owner-trainer Peter Kleinhans and his racing manager, Anthony Altomonte.  They purchased the 6-year-old Yankee Glide-Clover Mist gelding for $64,000 from previous owner Mario Mazza on Feb. 23, 2009, and he has since earned $150,000.  Celebrity Playboy's lop-sided career slate now stands at 12 wins, 21 seconds and 10 thirds in 78 starts.

"He was racing one big trip after another last year and we had discussed how we would like to own this horse," Altomonte said.  "We found out Mario Mazza was selling his stock and I called Peter and said we had the chance to acquire him, told him the price and he said 'do it'.  We feel that trotters don't come into their own until age five and thought that he fit the mold ad would continue to get better. That was the logic with Enough Talk, too.

"This was his big chance at a stakes win this year," Altomonte added.  "He did not fit the conditions for the Hiram Woodruff Series, so he will continue to race in overnights."

Laughandbehappy held off Odds On Moinet by a nose to win the $60,000 Night Styles Final for filly and mare pacers in 1:52.1.

Laughandbehappy cleared the lead on the opening turn and locked up with Mid-Western Jatelo through swift middle fractions of :55.3 and 1:23.1 before her challenger gave way at the head of the lane.  With Odds On Moinet closing quickly from the pocket spot, Laughandbehappy gamely dug in under urging from driver John Campbell to score her second series crown this season.

"I thought she was going into the final in good shape," Campbell said. "I just wanted to be up close to the front.  She's not that quick, so you have to be forwardly placed with her turning for home.  I didn't let Brian clear [Sears and Mid-Western Jatelo] because I was pretty sure my mare would keep on going.  I was a little concerned with George [Brennan and Odds On Moinet] sitting on my back because I wasn't sure how that was going to play out.  She's got a good attitude, never gives up at all, but the wire came up just in time."

Laughandbehappy swept the White Ruffles Series earlier this season with a dominant, 1:53.3 victory in the $53,000 final.  The 4-year-old daughter of Badlands Hanover improved her impressive record to 16 victories in 21 starts.  Tony Alagna trains Laughandbehappy for Let It Ride Stables, Robert Cooper Stables and Jerry Silva.(Meadowlands)

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