Take My Picture, Pretty Boy Lindy win Townsend Ackermans

Take My Picture edged Flex The Muscle in the first of two $50,000 Townsend Ackerman divisions for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters Friday night at Meadowlands Racetrack. Take My Picture executed a perfect rail trip under the guidance of Andy Miller, trotting to victory in 1:54.1. Take My Picture paid $43.80 to win.

 

"He's been a very good horse," said Miller. "He was second in the Yonkers Trot. He just hasn't won a lot. When he snuck up the rail (in the stretch) he had a lot of go."

 

The gelding by Classic Photo out of Habit's Lady was a $35,000 yearling purchase from the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg, Pa. He is owned by Joseph and Laurie Davino of Clarksburg, N.J. In his Hambletonian elimination on July 31, Take My Picture finished fifth to Cassis. He has hit the board in eight of 13 starts and now has three wins lifetime for trainer Taylor Gower.

 

"The trip went perfect," said Gower. "It's what we've been looking for. This group was the right group for him and it fit him better than last weeks group. Last week the bar was set too high. We haven't made any changes since last week, it was just circumstance that worked out for us tonight. Last week the trip didn’t suit him and tonight everything came together. Next week he will race in the New Jersey Sire Stakes in Freehold and he will be there for three weeks. I'm not going to look any further in the year than that."

 

Pretty Boy Lindy won the second Townsend Ackerman division in 1:53.3 with Tim Tetrick in the sulky. Kash's Caviar finished 3 1/2 lengths back in second and Texas Ridge was third. The homebred son of Cantab Hall-My Dolly's Dream is now four-for-14 lifetime for trainer Frank Antonacci. Lindy Racing Stable of Enfield, Conn. and Robert Rudolph of Vineland, N.J. own the colt. He paid $4.80 to win.

"The trip went well," said Tetrick. "We got the two-hole trip and it worked out for us. I had to work hard to keep up with Sears though. I've driven him two times this year and I have won both times with him. Frank's done a great job training with him this year. This week he didn't have to be first-up, unlike last week, and it worked. (Meadowlands_