by Ron Gurfein

The weather was less than perfect but it didn’t lessen the number of visitors to The Deck Saturday morning with a lovely bagel array sponsored by Stephanie and Myron Bell, as well as some goodies supplied by Murray Brown reappearing after a sojourn to Hanover for the week. Included in the new faces were Christine and Jimmy Takter, Bud and Kelley Hatfield as well as Sam Goldband, longtime partner of Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld. Two sons of famous fathers were surprise visitors — Robert Goldstein, son of famed harness racing publicist Joey Goldstein, was in attendance as well as Geoff Stein’s son Joey.

A few of Freddy Grants charges were speeding as well as some from the Alagna crew, but most were going through the motions at a mild pace.

Fillies Mouse Circus (Sebastian K—Product Placement) and Test Match (Andover Hall—Widdershins) and the duo of Sugar And Spice (Captaintreacherous—Sweet Future) a sister to Sweet Lou owned by Seth Rosenfeld and Windlass (Artspeak—Foljambe) were speeding.
 From the Peter Wrenn Stable a pair of pacing colts BB Bugatti (Rockin Image—UR It BB) and Swiss Rocket (Rockin Image—Antigua Hanover) went their miles looking great.

Pure Essence (Western Ideal—My Little Artist) and Libspeak (Artspeak—Docdor Libby), two fillies from the Alagna barn, looked slick gaited and quick.

From the Webster-Crogan barn came a good mixed pair Wired Sweet (Sweet Lou—Live Wire) and Pick Me Upper (Trixton—Pick Me Up) — the former a filly, the latter a colt.

Paul Kelley’s barn was in full swing this morning showing off a nice pair of trotting fillies, Mambo (Yankee Glide—Dance To Market) and Flying Glider (Cantab Hall—Highland Glider) finished a quick mile on the wire together as did two very good trotting colts Amos Hart (Trixton—Zeta Jones) and Windon Hanover (Donato Hanover—Winbak Blondie, the full sister to Muscle Hill).

In one of the more eye catching performances of the morning Sail By (f, Captaintreacherous—Acquavella) a full sister to the great 2-year-old Captain Ahab came from last to first with a big move off the final turn to best Enchanted Path (Captaintreacherous—She’s A Hot Mess).

Lindy Farm offered up a nice pair of trotting colts with High West (Cantab Hall—Define Royalty) besting Unnamed (Ready Cash—Highscore Kemp) at the finish.

Ideal Perception (c, American Ideal—Southwind Siren) from Tony Alagna looked like the real deal besting Force And Fury (Captaintreacherous—My Little Dragon) and Rollinthejoe (Roll With Joe—Sweet Bonnie).

Peter Wrenn showed of an exceptional pacing colt in Skipping Stone (Pet Rock—Skinner Dip). Power Play Goal (Muscle Mass—Finesse Hanover), a colt from the Grant barn I seem to mention every week, is really talented and went solo this morning and doesn’t need any company to perform.

From the Webster/Crogan Barn came a slick pair of pacers Booty Call (Somebeachsomewhere—Love Canal), a filly, and Puzzling (Somebeachsomewhere—Suduko), a colt.
 In one of the later sets in the Alagna barn, Betterthanthebeach (Somebeachsomewhere—My Little Delight), a nice strong gaited colt looked like a man amongst boys. Confidence (Father Patrick—Any Where With You), a rare trotting filly in the Alagna barn, was forced to train with the gorilla pacers and more than held her own. The sweet-gaited lass finished her mile right on the bit.

Next week I will start putting a watch on the trainers to better give you an idea of their progress.