Southwind Ozzi breezes to Adios victory
Observer-Reporter
Brian Sears drives Southwind Ozzi to victory in July’s Delvin Miller Adios at The Meadows.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Vincent Ali, owner of Southwind Ozzi, holds the winner’s trophy after his horse won the Delvin Miller Adios Saturday at The Meadows.
MEADOW LANDS – With a burst of speed from the three-quarters pole, Southwind Ozzi took control of the 53rd Delvin Miller Adios and breezed to a victory in this pace for 3-year-olds.
Southwind Ozzi, with Brian Sears in the sulky, went off as the 4-to-5 favorite over Prince of Tides and Dave Palone and Ron Burke’s Captain Victorious and Yannick Gingras and crossed in a scorching 1:48.0, the second fastest Adios time and fastest mile race of the season on the sun-baked track at The Meadows Saturday.
Prince of Tides was second, seven lengths off the pace, and a late surge by Stag Party and Dexter Dunn caught a fading Captain Victorious for third place.
“There was no strategy. My strategy was to rely on Brian,” said Bill Mackenzie, who trains Southwind Ozzi. “This is another star under his belt. It’s Brian’s ride. He got to choose the post position.”
This is Mackenzie’s first Adios and he was amazed at the resilience of Southwind Ozzi, the offspring of Somebeachsomewhere and Southwind Solara. The horse had hernia surgery five weeks ago.
“We have really good owners and we rolled the dice on this one,” Mackenzie said. “He comes out of races like it doesn’t affect him. He’s not tired the next day. He gets into his oats. Most of my horses sleep all day (after a race). It’s amazing to watch. I love it.”
Mackenzie said he will evaluate Southwind Ozzie week to week to determine what races to enter.
“He’s coming back here for the final, sire stakes,” said Mackenzie. “We’ll get him home and evaluate him.”
Palone, who was looking for his second Adios win since driving Washington VC across first in 1999, set the pace at the quarter (25.3) and half (53.3) poles with Prince of Tides.
But Sears opened Southwind Ozzi and the horse responded with an incredible showing down the stretch to wrap up his third Adios title.
“I knew if I had a hot enough pace. I’d have a shot,” said Sears. “When I saw it was 25.3 and 53 and change, that was good enough for me. The only thing I was worried about was a slow second quarter.”
Southwind Ozzi, which has won five of six starts this year, Prince of Tides and Captain Victorious won their eliminations last week.
Southwind Ozzi left the Adios race from the No. 4 post and Captain Victorious from No. 3. Prince of Tides chose No. 1.
Southwind Ozzi is owned by Vincent Ali and and Alma Iafelice and is stabled in New Jersey.
“I’m shaking like a leaf,” Ali said while holding the Adios trophy. “I was a nervous wreck. Billy does a great job and I have the best driver inn the country driving the horse. This is why I own horses. I let them do what they do. I usually race cheap claimers. I don’t usually get into races like this.”
Backstreet Shadow and Tim Tetrick set the track record for gelding pacers with a 1:48.4 in winning the Foiled Again Invitational in the No. 11 race. Backstreet Shadow is a Ron Burke horse.
Burke, the winningest owner in harness racing history, passed 10,000 victories Friday evening. He was honored after the 11th race.
Burke entered 28 horses on the Adios race day card and left with four wins, four second-place finishes, five thirds and two fourths.