		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31

Click here for RSS

Sophomore now a millionaire, gives Teague back-to-back winners

Return Home

July 05, 2008

Send To A Friend | Print View

Badlands Nitro rallied three wide and then held off an inside challenge by Santanna Blue Chip to win the $538,270 Art Rooney Pace final at Yonkers Raceway Saturday night in 1:52.4, catapulting the 3-year-old son of Badlands Hanover to millionaire status and giving trainer George Teague Jr. back-to-back winners in the rich event.

Jody Jamieson left from post three and yielded the front to Dontloseyourdayjob, who had angled to drop into the two hole by Yannick Gingras but found the spot shut off by the David Miller-driven Dragon King. An opening quarter of :27.2 led to a first-half clocking of :56.1, at which point Eric Abbatiello had moved Moon Beam from fourth to the outside, giving cover to Brian Sears and Badlands Nitro, who had gone off as the overwhelming 1-5 favorite with stablemate Idle Hour.

Dontloseyourdayjob still held onto the lead at the 1:24.1 three-quarters as Jamieson looked for racing room along the inside and Sears waited to make his move on the outside. Turning for home Sears swung Badlands Nitro wide and charged to the front, but Jamieson was able to squeeze Santanna Blue Chip between the tiring Dontloseyourdayjob and Moon Beam and mount a serious challenge.

Although he got a mild scare, Badlands Nitro was able to put his nose on the wire first, edging Santanna Blue Chip by a head. Moon Beam was able to hold onto third.

"I expect a good efort ouf of him all the time," said Sears. "He doesn't have any quit in him."

The win was the sixth of the year in seven starts for Badlands Nitro, with other outing being a second-place finish in the $1.5 million North America Cup. With the victory, Badlands Nitro increased his career earnings to $1,007,392 for owners John Celii and Teague Inc.

"He's got plenty of upside, which makes him a good horse," said Teague. "He has no weakness in his game."

Teague, who won last year's Rooney final with Southwind Lynx, added Badlands Nitro is headed next to the Meadowlands Pace eliminations Saturday, July 12, at the Meadowlands.

« Back