Al Papi’s fast start leads to Adios victory
MEADOW LANDS — Al Papi fought off a strong finish by Odds On Mr Mamba and Melillo to win the 60th Adios Pace For The Orchids on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.
Al Papi, which gave trainer Ron Burke his third trip to the winner’s circle in harness racing’s prestige event at The Meadows race track, turned in a time of 1:48.1, two-tenths of a second faster than race favorite Odds On Mr Mamba.
Al Papi received $210,250 while another Burke horse, Melillo, earned $105,1125 for second place and Odds On Mr Mamba, racing out of Boca Raton Fla. stables, earned $50,460 for taking third.
“That’s pretty much how I saw this shaking out,” said Burke. “I was just hoping we were strong enough at the end to hold out. Our other horses were closing. It was a good day. Odds On Mr Mamba is a good horse and it took our best to beat him.”
Al Papi started from the fourth post but jumped into the lead by the first quarter and was never threatened again.
“We’re aggressive and we’re going to push our horses to the limits,” Burke said “I’ve always said, my way may not be the right way but it’s the right way for me.”
Burke said he is already thinking about the next Adios race. But next up is the Milstein Memorial at Northfield Park in Cleveland.
“The race turned out the way I thought it would,” said Yannick Gingras, who drove Al Papa to victory. “I hoped there wasn’t too much pressure and it turned out that way. The first half of the race was key.”
This was the fourth Adios victory for Gingras.
“Let’s keep it going,” he said.
It was a strong day for Burke. Gingras and Burke won the Mickey Burke Grade 1 Adio Volo for 3-year-old filly pacers In the James Manderino Arden Downs 3-year-old trot. Summer Nights, from the Ron Burke stables, crossed first and Tymol Kryptonite, trained by Steve Schoeffel, finished second in the third race. Both horses went off at 19-1.
Dave Palone took Allnight Kid and drove him home in 1:53.3 after leading for most of the ninth race. He posted the win after leaving the gate as a 5-1 longshot.
Palone won his first race of the day in the fourth, guiding Stingman home in 1:50.1. His second win of the day came in the eighth on Sometime Somewhere. He drove the horse in 1:49.4, winning by a nose.
Burke Stables brought Tom Collins in the first race of the day, edging Kurt, a strapping stallion.