Rookie pacing colts & geldings face off in MGM Springfield Stakes Eliminations
Pleaseletmeknow was the fastest elimination winner. Chris Brokate photo.
YONKERS, N.Y. - Pleaseletmeknow, Gone Before Dawn, and Letmecallyouback won the three $25,000 MGM Springfield Stakes eliminations for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers that took place on Friday night at Yonkers Raceway.
Brought to you by the same connections that won the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes final with American Courage - owner/breeder Fiddler's Creek Stables LLC, trainer Travis Alexander, and driver Matt Kakaley, Pleaseletmeknow raced in second behind Silverstone (George Brennan) through fractions of :27.4, :57, and 1:25 in the opening elimination, then went by that rival in the lane on his way to a 1 1/2-length decision in 1:54.1. Silverstone held second over American Artist K (Jason Bartlett).
A gelding by American Ideal and out of the Well Said mare I Said Please, Pleaseletmeknow broke his maiden in his second try after a runner-up result in the New York Sire Stakes at Buffalo Raceway. Pleaseletmeknow paid $6.30 to win as the 2-1 second choice and led a $16.40 exacta and a $37.00 trifecta.
In the next elimination, Gone Before Dawn (Bartlett) brushed to the lead through a :28.3 opening quarter and then backed down the tempo to :58.2 at the half and 1:27.1 at three-quarters. Through the stretch, both second-over Thebiznes Bluechip (Jordan Stratton) and pocket-sitter Te Amo Blue Chip (Jim Marohn Jr.) rallied toward the leader, but he held on determinedly, winning by a neck in 1:56. Thebiznes Bluechip was next, followed by Te Amo Blue Chip.
Trainer Andrew Harris also co-owns Gone Before Dawn, a colt from the first crop of Huntsville, with partner Bowie Racing LLC. Gone Before Dawn, who was bred by Steve Jones, was making his pari-mutuel debut after finishing fourth and second in two qualifiers in New Jersey. Gone Before Dawn went off as the 2-1 second choice and returned $6.30. The exacta was worth $19.00 and the trifecta kicked back $77.50.
Jovian (Kakaley) carved out stations of :28.3, :58.1, and 1:27.1 in the last elimination, but Letmecallyouback (Joe Bongiorno), who came first-over from fourth as they raced off the third turn, wore him down on the last turn and put him away in the lane. From there, Letmeyoucallyouback was able to hold off a hard-to-steer pocket-sitter Wolftrax (Scott Zeron) to win by a neck in 1:55.3. Hurrikane Chuck (Tyler Buter) finished third after a second-over trip.
Jenn Bongiorno trains Letmecallyouback, a gelded son of Huntsville, for owners Joe Di Scala Jr., Pit Bull Stable LLC, and Patrick O'Brien. Letmecallyouback, who was third in an overnight race at Harrah's Philadelphia in his debut, was bred by Ontario's 30 Plus Stable and was a $42,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale acquisition. Letmecallyouback, a 7-1 offering, paid $16.20 to win and keyed a $14.90 exacta and a $38.75 trifecta.
The top two finishers from each elimination advanced to the final, as did American Artist K, the fastest of the three elimination third-place finishers. The two remaining third-place horses, Te Amo Blue Chip and Hurrikane Chuck, ended up with the same clocking of 1:56, so there will be a draw between those two for the last position in next Friday's $100,000 (est.) final.