Joe F's Progress Report on 2yo Pacers.

VFTRG more than frequent contributor Joe F. takes a look at the two year old pacers thus far this year as they move from the state-restricted races and get ready to do battle in open company.

Last year the 250K yearling, Captaintreacherous, lost his first start to Odds On Equuleus, but two weeks later he became the first two-year-old to cover the Meadowlands in under 1:50 when he established a TR of :49.3 in the Wilson. And two weeks after that he won the Nassagaweya at Mohawk. So by the middle of August the top spot in the division was his and his alone; it was simply a matter of slotting the very ordinary challengers. Equuleus was in the mix throughout; Apprentice Hanover had a good run up in Canada in the middle; and Vegas Vacation showed promise later in the season. Apprentice was always a factor. And there were plenty of regional stars like Doctor Butch. But the division clearly belonged to The Captain.

On the distaff side I Luv The Nitelife was the most consistent; L Dee’s Lioness was good in the stakes up North; and Somwherovrarainbow was very strong in the late fall. The latter won the Dan Patch, while Nitelife took the O’Brien. As with the boys, there were regional stars like Always About Katey.

This year, with the open stakes season about to commence, Gallie Bythe Beach has established herself as the frontrunner in her division—not in Peelers or Jewel territory by any means, but ahead of the rest. The boys are still sorting things out. Western Vintage is getting votes but the across the board competition seems to be at a higher level than it was last year. There are a lot more good ones out there.

Jeff Gural eliminated the Wilson so there will be no high profile two-year-old open pace on Hambletonion Day. Sire stakes and minor opens will have to suffice until the Nassagaweya and Eternal Camnation on August 17. There are only two freshman pacers listed in this week’s Top Ten Poll: Western Vintage is at number 13 and Gallie Bythe Beach is down at the bottom. Here’s a look at a few of the more promising players in the two-year-old pacing world.

Beach Body 2 f SBSW-Silky-Western Hanover

Half to Nassagaweya winner, Malicious (Bettor’s Delight), 110K buy at HB

Won 87K Sand Tart at The Meadows in :53.1. Won 57K PASS

 at Harrah’s in :53.4. Eligible to the Eternal Camnation, Great Lady, Bluegrass and INSS.

Sister Stroll 2 f Art Official-So Western-Western Hanover

Half to Dancinwiththestarz (Four Starzzz Shark), 40K HB

Won 57K PASS at Harrah’s and 30K PA All-Stars at Pocono.

Eligible to the Bluegrass. No Ontario stakes.

Gallie Bythe Beach 2 f SBSW-Galleria-Artsplace

Dam 3 & 4YO Division Champ. Million dollar winner.

Probably the top 2YO pacing filly prospect right now.

Won 87K Sand Tart with tough trip from the eight in :53.3

At The Meadows. Also won 57K PASS at Harrah’s in :52.2

And 30K PA All-Stars in :52 at Pocono. Four for four, 93K.

Staked to Bluegrass and INSS. Great Lady: yes. No to Eternal

Camnation and Champlain

Talkative 2 f Well Said-Unspoken-Artiscape

Won 87K div of Sand Tart in :53 at The Meadows last time out.

Prior to that finished second to Gallie Bythe Beach

Twice. Staked to Great Lady and INSS. No Bluegrass, Et Camn or

Champlain.

Momara 2 f Lis Mara-Mosaic-Camluck

Drubbed the lower level ONSS crew a couple of times. Won last by ten.

Not staked to any of the one’s we’re using.

Forty Five Red 2 c If I Can Dream-Sakura Hanover-Artsplace

Half to Thirty-Two Red,

Won the Sheppard and a 42K NYSS at Saratoga. Leading the charge

For If I Can Dream. Has earned 80K. No Nassagaweya, Metro or

Champlain. Bluegrass: yes.

Arthur Blue Chip 2 c Shadow Play-Advantest-Artsplace, 135K HB

Way out of line with what the Shadow Plays were selling for.

Sold for 85K more than the next most expensive Shadow Play.

Half to Kenneth J.

Won two of three in OSS. Tops the earning’s list at 106K. Eligible to Nas, Metro

And Champlain.

Nefertiti Bluechip 2 f Shadow Play-Rising Sun-Bettor’s Delight, 50K HB

Beat stablemate, Alibi Seelster, in 150K OSS Mid-Summer Challenge.

No Et Camn, Gt Lady or Champlain. No Lexington.

Alibi Seelster 2 f Shadow Play-Alias Seelster-Intrepid Seelster, 27K Forest City

Won a 70K ONSS-Gold and second in 150K Mid-Summer Challenge. Same as

Stablemate directly above. No, no, no.

All About Boyz 2 f Kenneth J-Cheerful Outlook-The Panderosa

Fast filly. No.

Scandalicious 2 f American Ideal-The Company Store-American Gigolo, 17K Lex

Two good NYSS wins. Second to Mind Over Matter at Buffalo. No Champlain or Lex.

Yes to Et Camn and Gt Lady.

Tellitlikeitis 2 c Well Said-Kikikatie-Real Artist

Half to Rockin Amadeus, Time To Roll and Rockin Image.

Talented son of Well Said. Well staked. Nas, Metro, Champ, Blg.

JK Molly 2 f Art Major-Heather’s Western-Western Hanover, 100K HB

Sister to Full Picture.

Won a division of the Geers at Tioga in :52.2 on a night when the other fillies

 and the colts were going a lot slower. Toscano. No, no, no. NYSS

Art Major is no SBSW but he’s solid and reliable. Art Official, Santana BC, Equuleus, Art Professor, Hypnotic…..

Let’s Drink On It 2 c Art Official-Letmedowneasy-Camluck,

Dam is out of a sister to the dam of Grinfromeartoear.

Won 68K PASS in :51.3 at Pocono. Also won 30K PA All-Stars at Pocono.

Metro and Bluegrass.

Westward Hanover 2 c SBSW-Western Duel-Western Hanover, 145K HB

Half to Westwardho and Whackamole.

Won 54K PASS at The Meadows in :52.3. None of the Ontario stakes.

Lex: yes.

Limelight Beach 2 g SBSW-Benear-Badlands Hanover,

Won 70K PASS at Pocono in :53 and 53K PASS at Harrah’s.

Ontario: no. Lex: yes.

Suplemental Income 2 f Bettor’s Delight-JK Getupngo-Western ideal, $4,500 HB

She has a couple of good wins in the NYSS. No, no, no. The decision was

Obviously made to rely on restricted stakes in the case of many of these

colts and fillies. For those on the top tier that can create problems; you can’t achieve stardom

In regional stakes.

New York Bets 2 f Bettor’s Delight-Absolutely Cam-Western Hanover

Dam a sister to dam of Share The Delight.

Rugged colt. No, no, no.

Idealbeach Hanover 2 c SBSW-Ideal Weather-Western Ideal, 260K HB

Dam won 850K. She’s half to Bet The Moon.

Won a couple of 16K 2yo races at Mohawk. Mark of :52.3.

Staked to Nas, Met & Blg.

He’s Watching 2 c American Ideal-Baberhood-Real Desire

3^rd dam is Cheer Me Up—sister of Western Ideal. 4^th dam is

Leah Almahurst.

Green but very fast. Set TR of :55.4 at Buffalo—last half in :56.4.

No Nas, Met or Champ. No Blg.

Western Vintage 2 c Western Ideal-Major Harmony-Art Major, 7K Lex

Won 150K NJSS Final at 1/9. Three for three.

$7,000 Lexington purchase. Second dam earned 367K in ONSS. Fourth dam,

 342K winner, Napa Valley, was a full sister to Silk Stockings. Again, went

 Through sale for $7,000. Nassagaweya and Metro. No Champlain. Lex: yes.

Twenty-seven Western Ideals sold at Harrisburg for a shade over $11,000 each. Seventy-four percent brought 15K or less. Only two of the 27 sold for 50K or more. These results were down 63% from last year.

Last year there were 7 colts and one filly that brought 50K or more. And 34% brought 15K or less.

Western Ideal was standing for 25K in 2007, when, after having three crops race he was already the proud papa of Rocknroll Hanover and American Ideal, among others. He now stands for $7,500 in Pennsylvania. That amounts to a 70% reduction. These are tough numbers.

Western Ideal is also the sire of Big Jim, Always A Virgin, Cabrini Hanover, Dial and Jerseylicious.

Mind Over Matter 2 F Art Major-Serious Comfort-Precious Bunny

Dam was O’Brien 2YOFP of Year in 2003.

Won 57K NYSS at Buffalo and 58K division at Yonkers.

Well staked. All.

Rockingcam Park 2 f Rocknroll Hanover-Cameron D Art-Camluck

Her dam is from the family of Royal Mattjesty, His Mattjesty and Her Mattjesty.

She won a couple of legs of the NJSS. Eligible to Et Camn and Gt Lady.

Bolt Of Thunder 2 f Rocknroll Hanover-Thunder Angel-Artsplace.

Dam is full to millionairess Arts Virtue.

She won the NJSS final. No, no, no.

Ideal Helen 2 f Western Ideal-Armbro Nectarine-Direct Scooter.

Full to Enhance The Night and Ideal Nectarine.

New Jersey is in transition. Western Ideal has used up his NJ eligibility; Rocknroll has passed on, but his get will participate in the NJSS for a couple of more years; and If I Can Dream is the promising new kid on the block. No Ontario. Yes to Bluegrass and INSS.;