Connections getting ready for Saturday's Adios

Southwind Lynx, a $42,000 purchase at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, has already captured two $1 million stakes this year--the Art Rooney at Yonkers and the Meadowlands Pace at the Big M. He’s won six of 14 races lifetime, and earned $1,145,161.

“Making money is always fun, and he’s sure doing that,” laughed Teague, who co-owns the Real Artist colt with his sister Brenda and Kevin and Ronnie Fry of Delaware. “If I had to compare him to another horse of mine, it would be Total Truth. They were both somewhat immature at two, but really developed at three.

“You’re always a little bit surprised when they turn out this good,” he said. “He had a couple of little quirks and little problems at two, and you hope they’ll grow out of it, but you never know.”

Teague said Southwind Lynx is staked to all the major dances the rest of the season including the Little Brown Jug, Cane, Progress Pace, Lexington, and Breeders Crown.

Teague also will start What’s Up Now in the second elimination, who drew post eight. The won of Western Hanover, co-owned by Teague Inc. and Rodney Mitchell, has three lifetime wins and earnings of $77,549. Tim Tetrick, the runaway leading driver in North America this year by both wins and earnings, will drive both the Teague horses.

“He got sick when we sent him to Canada, and we’ve been battling getting him right from that,” said Teague. “I was disappointed in his last race (third in a PASS last Saturday). He was a little flat. We took a shot, and then drew bad.”

Trainer and co-owner Dave Knight is hoping to catch lightening in a bottle a second time, after capturing the 2001 Adios with Meadows-based Pine Valley.

B Blissfull, who has just one win this season, likewise calls The Meadows home. He’s a consistent sort, finishing on the board in five of 13 starts this season. He was fourth, closing in :27.1 to finish 2 3/4 lengths back, in a leg of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes here Saturday. Fellow Adios entrant Won The West was second in that leg.

“There’s an advantage to racing right here at home,” said Knight. “He’s a decent horse, and he’s getting better all the time. He’s really been good the last couple of weeks and is getting really sharp now. He’s as good as Pine Valley was when he won in 2001.

“We’ve keeping to same routine, he stays happy that way,” Knight said. The son of Blissfull Hall drew post four, two slots outside favored Southwind Lynx, in the first elim. “We can sit right behind the speed and see what happens. We just want to try to get in the final.” Meadows-based driver Don Rothfuss is named to drive.

There’s another reason Knight entered B Blissfull. Longtime owner Joe Billante died earlier this year, and his dream had always been to race in the Adios, Knight said. “He flipped a tractor, and passed away earlier this year,” Knight said. “For many, many years, his dream was to race in the Adios. His wife (co-owner Joan Ann Billante) is going to continue with horses.”

Another Meadows-based horse seeking Adios glory is Pardon You, who is owned by Tom Mucci, David Kowcheck, Hopkins Blue Jay Stable and George Alexas. He drew the rail in the first Adios elim, and will have the services of John Campbell, by far the winningest Adios driver with eight victories to his credit.

Though Pardon You didn’t fare well in last Saturday’s PaSS, finishing sixth, he took a new lifetime mark of 1:52 in his start prior at The Meadows, scoring by better than four lengths in condition company. He was third in the Reynolds Stake the start before that at Pocono.

“Up until last Saturday, he’d been extremely consistent,” said trainer Brad Buxton. “He’d never missed a check and is normally one-two-three. I was concerned enough we drew blood, and his enzymes were a little off. He was trying to tie up a little, but we (had) enough time to treat that. We’ve been prepping for the Adios by racing him lightly–this has been the goal all along.”

Buxton said he had checked the Blissfull Hall gelding’s blood during the week, and it came back fine. He was also happy with drawing the rail. “The rail is good,” he said. “We’re in with tough horses, but we’re gonna go with them. Advancing to the final would be success, and with having John Campbell in the bike, that’s a very good possibility.”

Buxton, 47, is the son of noted Midwestern driver-trainer Dick Buxton, and says he never considered doing anything else for a living. His wife Jo works with him in the stable. “I’m from Ohio, but I’ve been here now for 19 years,” he said. “I mostly worked for my Dad, and one summer for Stanley Dancer.”

Pardon You’s ownership group all live near The Meadows. John Lewis and Hal Altman, who make up the Hopkins Blue Jay Stable, are coworkers. Lewis is the head administrator and Altman the administrator for Armstrong Hospital in Kittanning. David Kowcheck builds warehouses and has had horses with Buxton just a couple of years.

Owner Tom Mucci lives right by The Meadows “in back of the casino,” said Buxton. George Alexas has had horses with Buxton for more than a decade, and owns the popular local hangout Shorty’s Hot Dogs in Washington, “which is like the barber shop in Mayberry, USA,” laughed Buxton. (The Meadows)

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