Likeabatoutahell wins final

Likeabatoutahell completed a three-race sweep in the $51,250 Charles Singer Memorial Trot final Friday night at the Meadowlands. The SJs Caviar gelding scored a three-quarter-length victory over Red Dragon. It was another length and a half to Penny Dream in third.

Likeabatoutahell, driven by Brian Sears and trained by Trond Smedshammer, trotted the mile in 1:55.1, picking up his fifth victory along with one second and three thirds from 16 starts. Owned and bred by Michael Andrew of Gorham, Maine, the 3year-old gelding has now banked $109,073.

"I really liked my chances after I saw Ronnie's horse (Ron Pierce with Fielders Choice) run,” said Sears. “I knew it would be a lot easier because I thought he was the horse to beat. Out of the gate I got in a good spot. I would have liked to follow Yannick's horse (Yannick Gingras with Red Dragon) but first-over was OK. He is a big, strong horse."

With a knee injury at two, Likabatoutahell was put into training last winter in Aiken, S.C., and turned over to trotting master Smedshammer.

"He sure acted liked a nice horse,” said Smedshammer. “He started off good but then he started developing a breaking problem so we put the trotting hobbles on him and he has been very good since.

“He should have won at least a couple of starts down there (n Lexington in the early fall)” Smedshammer noted. “He just made mistakes, unfortunately. He is a big-gaited horse, and he's a fairly green horse. Cnfidence is everything. He started losing it and then started breaking so we decided to put the hobbles on him.

"He is a strong horse (nd capable of racing into the wind)," Smedshammer added. “I was a little bit concerned when I saw Cat (Manzi with Adonis B) was going to be able to follow him. Around the last turn it looked like Cat was struggling a little to keep up so it was pretty easy."

Smedshammer will give Likeabatoutahell a brief break and prepare him for the three-week Horse & Groom Series, which begins at the Meadowlands on Feb. 25. (Meadowlands)

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