Haughton final set

Defending William R. Haughton Memorial champion Dr. No and Ponder captured their respective $50,000 Haughton eliminations Saturday night at the Meadowlands in 1:48.4 and 1:48.2, respectively.

In the first elim Dr. No and Cat Manzi took the early lead with a :26.4 opening quarter, then relinquished the lead to race favorite Mypanmar and John Campbell, who took the field past the half in :54.3 and the three quarters in 1:22.

In the lane the Cat Man pulled Dr. No and the 5-year-old son of No Nukes wore down Mypanmar and scored a one-length victory. Pacific Renegade was third, and also advancing to next week’s final were Load The Dice, fourth, and Canyon Wind, fifth.

Trained by Bill Elliott and owned by Brian and Dr. David Legge and Robert Stewart of Canada, Dr. No won his second race of the year in eight starts, but increased his lifetime earnings to $946,644.

In the second elimination Maltese Artist was the leader to the :26.4 quarter, but he soon gave way to Boulder Creek and Brian Sears, who then set the pace past the half in :54 and the three quarters in 1:21.4.

By then Ponder and John Campbell had ranged up along side the leader the two began a dual down the stretch. But before they reached the wire the rest of the field converged on the leaders, resulting in a blanket finish. Ponder emerged the winner in a photo over the late-charging Leading X Ample and David Miller. Boulder Creek held on for third while Hop Sing finished fourth and Casimir Camotion was fifth.

The victory was the fifth of the year in nine starts for the 5-year-old son of The Panderosa, who is trained and co-owned by Bob McIntosh along with the CSX Stable and John Fielding.

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