Hop Sing finds pot of gold

Hop Sing, who won the Presidential final in January, won the $137,120 Four Leaf Clover final on Saturday night at the Meadowlands. The 5-year-old gelded son of The Panderosa set a stakes record of 1:48.4, eclipsing the 1:49.3 mark set by Maltese Artist in 2005.



Hop Sing, driven by Ron Pierce and trained by Ettore Annunziata, drew off to a 1 3/4-length victory over Silver Flash. Roddy's Bags Again, who set the torrid fractions, was third.



Roddy's Bags Again, driven by Mike Lachance, tripped the timer with fractions of :26.1, :53.3 and 1:21 at the three-quarters.



"We were second-over following Jenna's Choice," Pierce explained. "I was going around Cat (Manzi with Silver Flash). I had a decision to make at the five-eighths whether to duck in or go three wide. My horse felt so good I went around Jenna's Choice. It looked like he was tired there. It just depended how much pace Pacific Renegade (who closed from last to fourth) had; I wasn't sure where he was. He was my only concern."



"We got pretty lucky tonight," said trainer Annunziata. "We got a pretty good trip out of it on the outside with cover. Ron Pierce just did the rest.



Hop Sing was claimed for $125,000 on Dec. 3, 2005 by owner Richard Annunziata. This year he has banked $135,900 with five wins, two seconds and one third in 10 starts. Lifetime, he has 18 wins, 11 seconds and 10 thirds from 65 tries, earning of $451,044.



Shu Hanover, one of the pre-race favorites, was scratched lame earlier in the evening.



"His knee is bothering him," said Al Meyer, assistant to trainer Ken Rucker. "It's his left front. We don't want to take a chance to race him like that." (Meadowlands)

« Back