What figured to be a showcase for another Tracy Brainard trainee in the $265,000 American National final for 3-year-old colt pacers Saturday night at Balmoral Park, If I Can Dream, turned into a nightmare when the colt made a break heading to the gate. After If I Can Dream came away eighth, that allowed another Bulletproof Enterprises owned sophomore, Straight Shooting, to record a one-length victory in a snappy 1:50.1 for driver George Brennan.
With the 2-5 favorite sitting near the back of the pack for most of the mile driver Brian Sears pointed Standupnkissme right for the front where he proceeded to rattle off splits of :27.2, :55.3 and 1:22..4. With a first-over Sheer Desire (Dave Palone) providing live cover for Straight Shooting, Brennan had the Ronnie Burke-trained colt perfectly positioned in fourth as the field set sail for home.
“Yannick Gingras told me last night that he thought the bigger track would pick up this horse a little since he struggled through the turns at Yonkers last week,” said Brennan. “He was handling the surface perfectly tonight and with the great second over cover taking me just where I needed to be I knew my colt would get home well.”
In the stretch Sheer Desire quickly swallowed up Standupnkissme but that lead was short lived as Straight Shooting came calling. Finishing up his mile with a big :27 final quarter the son of Western Terror-Mattcheck Girl blew right by the leader in route to his second win in 18 starts this year. Annieswesterncard (Travis Seekman) was a solid second while Sheer Desire held on for third. If I Can Dream (Tim Tetrick) found his best stride late after a troubled trip and wound up fourth.
With the win Straight Shooting now boasts career earnings of $562,531.
In the $180,000 American National for 2-year-old colt pacers, a youngster picked a very opportune time to pick up his first career score as William Switala and James Martin’s OK Commander held on gamely in the late going to record a three-quarter length victory in 1:51.4.
Hustled away from the gate by driver Brian Sears the son of Art Major-Double Crème landed in third as stablemates Morgan Shark (Peter Wrenn) and Perrito Caliente (Travis Seekman) battled through an opening quarter in 28.1.
“Going into the race it looked there was going to be plenty of speed but when the gate opened nobody really left out of there so I decided to send my colt and look for a good early spot,” Sears explained.
Sitting in third after an opening quarter in :28.1 Sears sent the Gregg McNair trainee up to the front as the field reached the half in :56.2.
“I knew the horse on the lead had to be used pretty hard to get there so that’s when I decided to send my horse up to see if I could gain control of things,” said Sears.
Rolling along on the front end OK Commander was a length in front as he passed by the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:24.1. Digging in gamely through the lane OK Commander was all out as he held off a big late rally from Allthatgltrsisgold (Dave Magee) to notch his first win in 12 attempts. Perrito Caliente held on for third.
The winner's share of $86,400 helped push OK Commander’s bankroll up to $143,533. (Balmoral Park)
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