Some American too speedy for his rivals

Smart pacer Some American (American Ideal) gave his harness racing driver Mark Pitt and trainer Emma Stewart an early double when he led all the way to take out the Vale Brian Markovic Free For All at Melton on Saturday evening.

The speedy entire was ideally drawn in barrier 2 and subsequently was sent out a warm favourite ahead of his stablemate Let Her Roll.

And despite a spirited move early on by Ghost Of Time, Some American showed enough speed to hold the lead. Much interest was with Catch A Wave who was having his second start from a let up.

SOME AMERICAN 25 JULY REPLAY

Drawn on the second row, he was one out and two back and probably as close as has been to the leaders as in previous starts.

However Some American had a vital breather in the second quarter of 30.8 seconds. Let Her Roll and Catch A Wave commenced their challenges but Pitt then released the brakes as Some American thundered to a 26.8 third quarter and in an instant he opened up an eight metre lead in front.

Some American was getting a little tired towards the finish but he had in reserve to hold off Catch A Wave by just under two metres with Calexico coming up along the rails for third placing. Some American rated 1.53.1 for the 1770 metres.

Pitt commented after the event.

You always have confidence when you’re driving good horses. We had to make sure he got off the gate strong. We had to keep it a nice tempo and when the backmarkers were ready to make their move we just put the foot down a bit. And to try to make a bit of a break on them on the turn. He just had that tendency that he knocks off in the last 50 (metres). So we tried to get a bit of a march on them. And hopefully it was going to be big enough and it was tonight.

He always been a great horse and he’s run second to a lot of great horses. Its one of those things the more races he has, he’s only been raced and he’s only going to get better with a bit more racing under his belt.

Now a five year old Some American was desperately unlucky as a youngster narrowly losing some major classics. But he’s lost none of his zip and looks to have developed into a classy performer. He looks ideally placed to be a challenger in some of the key events in the Victorian Country Cups.

Catch A Wave finished well enough for a credible second even though he never really looked like catching Some American. But he is still running fast enough quarters to be able to match in top company and if in the forthcoming feature races he draws favourably on the front row he will be in contention.

Pitt and Stewart took out the opening event on the program when Enjoy Life (Always B Miki) scored a tough win in the Nevele R Stud pace after racing outside the leader for most of the event.

Later in the evening Pitt and Stewart again combined to secure their third win of the card when Most Exciting (Always B Miki) gave nothing else a chance with a sterling win in the VHRC Pace. The three year old never looked likely to lose once in front and he looks to be in the forefront of the forthcoming classic features to be run over the next several months.

 

For complete race results, click here.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink