Holiday Road wins Haughton Memorial in record time

Greg Peck, who will send out favorite Muscle Hill in the $1.5 million Hambletonian, collected a big win early in the Hambo Day card with Holiday Road. The Yankee Glide colt, driven by Brian Sears, powered to a stakes record 1:54 victory in the $523,600 Peter Haughton Memorial Saturday at the Meadowlands. Pilgrims Taj closed late for second while previously undefeated Lucky Chucky raced third.

 

Holiday Road and Sears drew the rail after winning their elimination last week. When the gate folded Saturday Plan B In HD (George Brennan) and Wishing Stone (Tim Tetrick) fired from the outside for the lead while Holiday Road followed Lucky Chucky. Passing the quarter in :27.3, Plan B In HD was shuffled to second by Wishing Stone, only to retake command as the field flashed past the half in :56.

 

Action continued as John Campbell moved Lucky Chucky to the point from third, but Sears was also underway, advancing to second at the three-quarter pole (1:25.3). Racing out of the turn, Holiday Road headed Lucky Chucky and trotted on in the stretch, drawing away quickly and stopping the clock in record time. Pilgrims Taj surged on the outside to overtake Lucky Chucky at the rail.

 

Holiday Road, twice a winner in three starts heading into the final, is owned by Peck, Jerry Silva, T L P Stable and Patricia Bolte. The time eclipsed the previous stakes record, set by Donato Hanover in 2006 and equaled by Muscle Hill in 2008, by a full second. It was the third straight Haughton score for Sears, who teamed with Peck and Muscle Hill last year. He also won the event with Blue York Yankee in 2007.