Fred And Ginger sets mark in Hempt

Fred And Ginger established a new stakes record of 1:49.4 Saturday at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in winning the $300,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial Pace for 3-year-old open colts and geldings pacers.

 

Driven by Dave Palone and trained by Ron Burke, Fred And Ginger stopped the timer in 1:49.4 in winning by a neck over a hard-closing Pang Shui (Jim Morrill Jr.)

 

"I felt confident and pretty comfortable after the second quarter breather,” said Palone in the winner’s circle following the race. “I really did. My horse is not the best in the turns but certainly was the best in the race.”

 

Fred And Ginger, a Real Artist colt out of Graceful Motion by Beach Towel, now has won three of five starts this season with one second-place finish and one third-place finish. The 2010 Hempt victor is owned by Howard Taylor, Robert Feldman and Ed Gold, all of Pennsylvania, and Jerry Silva of Long Beach, N.Y.

Palone seized the lead right from the get go, taking the nine-horse field to the opening panel in :26.3, half in :55.2 and three-quarters in 1:22. 

 

Following Fred And Ginger were Shark’s Legacy (Joe Pavia Jr.), sitting in the pocket throughout the mile with Pang Shui (Jim Morrill Jr.) in the third spot. Morrill and Pang Shui put on a late charge up the passing lane (Pocono Pike) to lose by a neck with Shark’s Legacy 3 3/4 lenghths back of the Hempt winner.

 

The 1:49.4 bested the old stakes record by Badlands Nitro (Brian Sears) of 1:50 established in May of 2008. This also was a new life mark for Fred And Ginger.
Shadow Play (David Miller) owns the all-time pacing 3-year-old colt mark at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs with a time of 1:48.2. That mark came in August of 2008 in an Adios elimination race. The Northeastern Pennsylvania track hosted the Adios that year because of construction at The Meadows.

 

The winner paid $2.10 and $2.10 and there was no show wagering in the race. (Pocono Downs)