Racing Hill roars to finish in Adios win
Racing Hill, driven by Brett Miller, wins the Adios Saturday with a time of 1:48.4 at The Meadows Racetrack.
William Paulos, Co-CEO of Cannery Casino Resorts, and Congressman Tim Murphy present the Adios trophy Saturday to Racing Hill driver Brett Miller and trainer Tony Alagna.
Spectators wait for the start of the Adios Saturday at The Meadows Racetrack.
Horse trainer Tony Alagna attends to Racing Hill Saturday after winning the 50th running of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows Racetrack.
MEADOW LANDS – With a burst of speed off the final turn, Racing Hill breezed past Check Six to easily win the 50th anniversary of the Delvin Miller Adios Saturday at The Meadows Racetrack & Casino.
The win was the first for driver Brett Miller in the 3-year-old Pace for the Orchids and also for owner Tom Hill of Lancashire, England, and trainer Tony Alagna of Manalapan, N.J.
Racing Hill, who went off at 2-5 odds, crossed in 1:48.4, a personal best and the same winning time of last year’s Adios winner, Dude’s The Man. He paid $2.80, $2.10 and $2.10.
Check Six with Yannick Gingras, one of five Ron Burke entries, crossed second after leading at the quarter. His time was 1:49.1 and he was 2 1/4 lengths back. Fernando Hanover with Tim Tetrick, was third after leaving from the No. 7 post. He made up five spots from the inside to cross in 1:49.2
Horses from Burke’s stable finished 2, 3, 4, 5, giving the local owner a $200,000 payday from the race.
“From the get-go, the race didn’t go the way I thought it would,” said Miller. “To be honest with you, when we came around this first turn, I thought we were in trouble. I don’t think I ever saw a horse go 52.1 at the half and then pull away at the top of the stretch. It felt like we were going fast. I didn’t think we were going that fast. When the time flashed up (at the half), I wanted to throw up.”
It also concerned Alagna.
“You never want to see your horse go a (first) half in 52.1,” Alagna said. “I know what kind of athlete he is and I know he has a huge set of lungs on him.”
Racing Hill struck out on the final turn and was not challenged down the stretch. Racing Hill, purchased for $22,000 at a Harrisburg yearling sale two years ago, added the Adios to the Hempt Memorial on his victory list this season.
“I (thought) there was no way this horse could keep going,” said Miller. “When I pulled his earplugs on the last turn, he took off. It was just amazing. Horses just don’t do that.”
Miller said when he pulled the string that removed the earplugs for the Meadowlands Pace, it didn’t work at first.
“When I finally got them out, that’s when he raced to the finish,” Miller said. “Not to take anything from (winner) Control The Moment, but I truly believe if I get the earplugs out sooner, my horse wins the race.
Racing Hill lost by a nose.
Check Six, who finished third in the Meadowlands Pace final and has banked $676,442 in career earnings, took the lead at the break and turned in a 25.2 time at the quarter pole. Miller then asked and got another level from Racing Hill that produced a ninth career win in 19 starts.
“In my opinion, Check Six was the horse to beat,” Miller said. “The last thing I wanted was him getting to the front with easy fractions. I felt he was the one to beat and my horse was just better (this time). My horse has paced back halves in 52 and change. I never wanted to go the first half in 52 and change. This horse is going to be a stallion and go to the stud farms one day.”
Until yesterday, Miller was the leading money winner not to win an Adios. That mantel is passed to Jim Murrill Jr. Miller, a regular driver at The Meadows over the past decade who now races throughout the region, said this victory will hold a special place in his heart.
“This win means the world to me,” Miller said. “I won my first Breeders Crown last year. To race here over four years and never have a shot to win this race, then to come back and win it, it’s really amazing.”
Driver Dave Palone had three victories on the card. … Burke finished the day with four wins, three seconds and three thirds. He unofficially made $266,570 on the day. … Newborn Sassy won the Adio Volo for 3-year-old fillies in Race 9. It was Tim Tetrick’s third win in that division.