Freshman pair win Historics at Meadowlands

Ray Schnittker scored a driving and training double with a pair of talented 2 year olds on Thursday night at the Meadowlands, capturing a division of the Goshen Cup with Riggins in 1:54.3 and a split of the E.H. Harriman Cup with Deweycheatumnhow in 1:59.

Schnittker fired Riggins to a five-length romp in the Meadowlands opener, the first of two $50,000 Goshen Cup divisions for pacing colts.  The son of Art Major was making his career debut after two winning qualifying races and paid $3.60, $2.10 and $2.10.  He was a $95,00 yearling purchase by Howard Taylor, Frank Baldassare, David Pepin and the Buffalo Boy's Stable.

Schnittker employed another front-end steer to win the third race, one of two $53,500 E.H. Harriman Cup divisions for trotting colts, with Deweycheatumnhowe in his first career start.  An $80,000 yearling buy, the son of Muscles Yankee paid $8.80, $4.40, and $3.80.  Schnittker shares ownership of the colt with Charles Iannazzo, Ted Gewertz and Frank Baldassare.

After Schnittker’s win with Riggins in the night’s first race it took more than an hour before the field for the first division of the E.H. Harriman Cup could go to the gate as the Meadowlands’ track crew had to scrape the track due to a second night of rain.

But once the track was ready Kajan Kooker and Mike Lachance rallied in the stretch to overtake Make It Happen and Schnittker by a head in 1:58.4. Trained by Ron Gurfein, the Self Possessed colt was a $65,000 yearling purchase and is owned by Mathias Mainzinger, Jerry Silva and Sampson Street Stables.

Moon Beam, a half-brother to top pacing mare Ideal Weather p,3, 1:52.1f ($443,668), was an impressive 1:53.1 winner for driver Brian Sears and trainer George Teague Jr. in the second Goshen Cup division. The Dragon Again colt is owned by Brenda and Montrell Teague, Rodney Mitchell Inc. and James Bernstein.

Click for the free PedigreeGuru.com catalog-style pedigree for Moon Beam and the video sponsored by Preferred Equine Marketing.

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