Season best for Myth Lindy

Mythical Lindy, who hopes to challenge the best in his division this summer, took a step in that direction on Saturday night at The Meadows by capturing a division of the $118,320 Currier and Ives. The mile in 1:56.3 was the fastest this season by a 3-year-old colt trotter on a five-eighths mile track.

Mythical Lindy's stablemate, Flying Scotsman, won the other Currier and Ives split, giving trainer Jim Arledge Jr. a sweep of the stakes.

Mythical Lindy, a son of SJ's Caviar who banked $298,263 at age two and who finished fourth in the Breeders Crown behind divisional champion Donato Hanover, toyed with older horses in his season opener at Hoosier Park. In the Currier and Ives, driver Dave Palone sent him to the front at the quarter pole, setting up a stretch duel with Wild Wind, who was undefeated in his four-race career.

But Mythical Lindy effortlessly drew away late, scoring by 1 1/2 lengths. Wild Wind was a good second in his first stakes, with Anderberg finishing third.

“I think he's among the top five in the country,” Arledge said. “He's come back more mature, stronger and better than ever. He has a great gait, he has a better mouth on him, and he's not nearly as anxious as he was last year.”

Mythical Lindy is next scheduled for the Gold Rush at Monticello Raceway. Arledge said the colt will skirt such heavy hitters as Donato Hanover until the season's most important events.

“My plan is to stay away from the Meadowlands until Hambletonian Day,” Arledge said. “We have enough big stakes to stay away from there until then. We don't want him hitting ‘Donato’ and those others until the Hambletonian.”

Thomas York Jr. and Joe Sbrocco own Mythical Lindy, a $60,000 yearling purchase.

The road has been more difficult for Flying Scotsman, who was winless in seven starts at age two. Driver Doug Snyder sent the gelded son of Lindy Lane to the lead and never relinquished it, scoring in 1:57.1, by 1 1/2 lengths, over Penn Monie Mosie. Overhaul endured a tough first-over trip to finish third.

Snyder said Flying Scotsman, making his initial start on Lasix, was keen for the lead.

“He's kind of a handful, even more tonight than he has been,” Snyder said. “He had a pretty good hold of me in the post parade. In the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes he collapsed on me the last eighth. (Lasix) definitely made a difference.”

Arledge, who owns the homebred Flying Scotsman with William Donovan and Jim Winske, said the horse is ticketed primarily for Pennsylvania events.

“He got home better tonight, but we still have him with earplugs and a hood because of his tendency to get a little warm,” Arledge said. “Now he's mature enough that we can go to some other rigging and make him a better horse.” (The Meadows)

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