Take My Picture edged Flex The Muscle in the first of two
$50,000 Townsend Ackerman divisions for three-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. Flex The Muscle (Dave Miller)
finished second, and Jetblue Volo (George Brennan) was third. 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 Habits Lady was a $35,000 yearling
purchase from the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He is
owned by Joseph and Laurie Davino of Clarksburg, New Jersey. 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
week's 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. Kashs Caviar (Dave Palone) finished 3-1/2
lengths back in second and Texas Ridge (Mike Lachance) was third. The
homebred son of Cantab Hall-My Dollys Dream is now four-for-14 lifetime for
trainer Frank Antonacci. Lindy Racing Stable of Enfield, Connecticut and
Robert Rudolph of Vineland, New Jersey 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.”
