Al Papi led a sweep of the exacta for trainer Ron Burke in the $420,500 Grade 1 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, presented by 1/ST BET, on Saturday (July 25) at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Driven by Yannick Gingras in the 60th edition of the race for 3-year-old pacers, Al Papi won on the front in 1:48.1 at Burke’s home track, defeating stablemate Melillo by a head and Odds On Mr Mamba by a neck.

Starting from post 4 off his 1:47.2 elimination win a week ago, Al Papi blasted out and cleared another Burke Brigade member in Frantic Hanover (driven by Tim Tetrick) well before the :26.3 quarter. North America Cup champion Odds On Mr Mamba (James MacDonald) lined up third, followed by Burke-trained Melillo (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), who was able to slide down from post 9.

Al Papi held off Melillo and Odds On Mr Mamba to win the 60th edition of the Delvin Miller Adios at The Meadows. Chris Gooden photo.

At the half-mile marker, which was reached in :54.2, Al Papi was still on top, but behind him a two-wide Sweet Lovin Lou (Scott Zeron) was trying to flush Melillo, who in turn was trying to get Odds On Mr Mamba to pull, which he did past that station. Al Papi was strong on the lead, though, and Odds On Mr Mamba was only able to advance up to Gingras’ wheel as they raced on the backstretch for the final time.

It looked like Al Papi was heading for a romping win heading to three-quarters in 1:20.2 as he got separation on Odds On Mr Mamba and Frantic Hanover in the pocket, but he got rough gaited for a bit on the final turn, which allowed the competition to get back into the race. Despite losing his momentum, Al Papi responded when asked by Gingras and wouldn’t let anybody go by, defeating the rallying Melillo by a head. Odds On Mr Mamba was a game third off the uncovered trip, followed by Frantic Hanover and Sweet Lovin Lou.

“In the middle of the last turn, honestly, I thought I was going to win by 10 lengths; that’s how he felt, he was so strong,” Gingras said. “The plugs were in and I was still just letting him rock, and he just got a little bumpy on me for a couple strides. Once he gathered himself up, I couldn’t get him going again. He just kind of lost his focus, but thankfully we still came out on top.”

This was the third win in the Delvin Miller Adios for both Gingras and Burke, but the first time they had teamed up to capture it. Burke’s father, Mickey, also won the Adios in 2007.

“I’ve won it a few times, but never for the Burke Brigade,” Gingras said. “I know this race means the world to the Burke Brigade, so it’s probably the most special one.”

Al Papi is a homebred son of Papi Rob Hanover-Baron Remy for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby, Larry Karr, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. He has compiled a summary of 6-7-4 from 20 career starts, has earned $941,945 and paid $3.80 to win as the 4-5 favorite. He led a $19.60 exacta and a $75.80 trifecta.

“Every time it’s even better than the last time,” said Burke, who sent out five horses in the Adios final for the second straight year. “Being 1-2 is something my dad had done before. I’m proud to try to imitate things he’s done, so we’re very happy. The horses raced great, and Yannick drove a great race.

“Once we got everybody seated and we had one parked on the outside, I was pretty sure we were in the right spots to get where we wanted. Then on the last turn it got a little bunched up and I was like ‘uh oh, this could be trouble,’ but my horses were surging at the wire, so I was happy. I thought they hung on, but you hate to come over here (to the winner’s circle) and find out you were second.”

Odds On Mr Mamba and Al Papi will lead the field in next Saturday’s (July 25) $420,000 Grade 1 Delvin Miller Adios final, presented by 1ST/BET, at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows after they won their respective $25,000 eliminations for 3-year-old pacers on Saturday (July 18) afternoon.

North America Cup champion Odds On Mr Mamba and driver James MacDonald won the first elimination on the front-end in 1:49.3. After showing speed from post six, the supplemental entrant cleared filly Loua Dipa (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) and Frantic Hanover (Tim Tetrick) before the :26.1 quarter went on the board. From there, Odds On Mr Mamba kept command to the half in :54.4 and the three-quarters in 1:22.1 as Loua Dipa waited in the two-hole until Wrenn Jr. guided her to the outside on the final bend.

Loua Dipa was unable to make headway on the pace-setter after she pulled, though, and although Frantic Hanover had a better kick from the three-hole, he couldn’t get by Odds On Mr Mamba, who held sway to win by a neck in a 1:49.3 mile. Treacherous Lou (Doug McNair) closed well after an inside trip to get past Loua Dipa for third at odds of 75-1. They were followed by Another C Note (Yannick Gingras), who would make the final as the fifth-place finisher from the two eliminations with the higher lifetime earnings.

Odds On Mr Mamba, one two supplemental entries to the 60th Adios, dug in late to win his elimination in 1:49.3. Chris Gooden photo

A gelding by Odds On Equuleus, Odds On Mr Mamba is trained by Melanie Wrenn for owner Odds On Racing of Boca Raton, Fla. Bred by Odds On Nourrir, Odds On Mr Mamba has 11 wins and a third from 13 career starts, has earned $764,305 and paid $3.20 to win as the 3-5 favorite. He led a $19 exacta and a $199.20 trifecta.

Al Papi came up just one-fifth of a second short of his sire Papi Rob Hanover‘s track, stakes and world record with a 1:47.2 triumph for Gingras in the second elimination.

No Waitlist (Doug McNair), another supplemental entrant, shot through from post one to cut a crisp opening-half of :25.3 and :54.1, but Al Papi was flushed out of third just past the half by Sweet Lovin Lou (Scott Zeron). Once he was fed racetrack, Al Papi paced up to and around No Waitlist prior to the 1:20.3 three-quarters as Sweet Lovin Lou tracked Al Papi before he dropped into the pocket.

In the stretch, Al Papi remained clear and his :26.4 final quarter slammed the door on a two-length victory. Melillo (Wrenn Jr.), who got shuffled from the pocket after Al Papi took the lead, was able to move out to get by the tiring No Waitlist before he dropped back in on the far turn, then finished with interest to come in second over Sweet Lovin Lou. Toast Of The Town (MacDonald) was unable to keep up in the cover flow but did secure a berth in the final by finishing fourth.

Al Papi dominated the second elimination of the 60th Adios, winning in an eye popping 1:47.2. Chris Gooden photo

Ron Burke, who will send out five horses in the final, sent out Al Papi for owners/breeders Burke Racing Stable LLC of Fredericktown, Penn., J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby of Ocean Ridge, Fla., Larry Karr of Randolph, New Jersey, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. of Canonsburg, Penn. From 19 lifetime tries, Al Papi has compiled a summary of 5-7-4, has banked $727,885 and returned $3.80 to win as the 4-5 favorite. He keyed a $6 exacta and a $14 trifecta.

 After stringing 4-5 favorite Twisted Destiny out for the first three-eighths of the mile, Prince Hal Hanover took full advantage of a pocket trip behind a pressured pace and rallied up the open stretch to narrowly capture the $385,000 Grade 1 Adios Pace for the Orchids, held Saturday (July 26) at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

Todd McCarthy wasted no time getting the Captaintreacherous-Percy Bluechip colt in gear, pushing forward from post eight and seating Sippinonsearoc (driven by Yannick Gingras) in the pocket through a :26 first quarter. Meanwhile, Twisted Destiny (Dexter Dunn) was parked wide of Rick Wink after being out-sprinted to the first turn and was kept wide on his advance to the front. Twisted Destiny ultimately worked clear of Prince Hal Hanover with just under a lap to go, was stung to the half in :53.3, and faced pressure from 86-1 outsider Makes Sense heading to three-quarters in 1:21.2.

Off the corner for home, Twisted Destiny responded to Makes Sense’s challenge, but Prince Hal Hanover set sail up the open stretch to strike the front in the final sixteenth and seal a lifetime-best 1:48.1 win. Swingtown (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rallied belatedly around failed cover to just nab Twisted Destiny for runner-up honors.

Dr. Ian Moore trains Prince Hal Hanover, now a five-time winner from 19 starts with $718,954 in career earnings, for Prince Hal Hanover Stable. He paid $8.20 to win.

Hollywood Casino at The Meadows had the boys back in town Saturday afternoon (July 19) with two eliminations for next week’s Grade 1 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids presented by the Mickey Burke Family. Fifteen 3-year-old male pacers were vying for nine spots in the final, while the Roy Davis Arden Downs Stakes for 2-year-olds provided a glimpse into next year’s edition.

The last time The Meadows saw sophomore Twisted Destiny, it was a rain-soaked 1:49.1 effort in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action on May 3. Saturday’s first $25,000 elimination of the Adios would be a sun-soaked 1:48 career best for the colt. Parked out most of the opening :54 half, the son of Bettor’s Wish was eventually able to settle on the lead with driver Dexter Dunn and used a :26.2 last panel to hold off Prince Hal Hanover and Todd McCarthy by a half-length. Rick Wink finished third and Papi’s Rocket was fourth to also advance to the Adios final.

“Being on a helmet early on made that part a little easier on him,” Dunn said about Twisted Destiny. “He’s been good all year, quite impressive today.”  

Twisted Destiny, this year’s Grade 2 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes winner, is trained by recent Hall of Fame inductee Chris Ryder for owners Let It Ride Stables, Alberg Racing, Enviro Stables and Jesmeral Stable.

The second Adios elimination proved to be the most thrilling as a nose would separate the first- and second-place finishers. Sitting third with Swingtown through steady fractions, driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. had a decision to make.

Swingtown (6) and driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. held off stablemate Sippinonsearoc (5) by a nose to win the second Adios elim. Chris Gooden photo.

“I was going to pull first-up, but Tim (Tetrick with pacesetter Fallout) was still rolling along pretty good, and I figured I could squeeze out,” Wrenn said with a grin afterward. “When I was able to move, he responded, and the plugs were still in.”

While Wrenn was able to squeeze out, Ron Burke-trained stablemate Sippinonsearoc and driver Yannick Gingras had to wait for traffic to clear before a rally left the pair a nose short in 1:50.1. Three-quarters of length back in third was Chris Page with Railroad Station, completing a Burke trifecta. Wedlock Blue Chip finished fourth and Makes Sense was fifth to grab the last spot in the Adios final (based on career earnings).

A son of Downbytheseaside, Swingtown was a $160,000 Ohio Selected Jug Sale purchase for owners Burke Racing, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and RAS Racing.

The field for the Grade 1 Adios in alphabetical order is Makes Sense, Papi’s Rocket, Prince Hal Hanover, Railroad Station, Rick Wink, Sippinonsearoc, Swingtown, Twisted Destiny and Wedlock Hanover. Burke has five of the finalists: Papi’s Rocket, Railroad Station, Rick Wink, Sippinonsearoc, and Swingtown.

Captain Albano, the 1-2 favorite, controlled the fractions for Todd McCarthy but needed every bit of his speed and moxie to hold off Wish You Well and David Miller in the Lightning Lane and win Saturday's $350,000 final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

Noel Daley trains the son of Captain Treacherous-Angelou, who now boasts a career bankroll of $752,915, for Patricia Stable, L.A. Express Stable, Sjoblom Racing and Michael Dolan.

Last year's Dan Patch Award winner for freshman males as well as Pennsylvania's champion, Captain Albano threw down a 1:21.2 three-quarters, thwarting a number of challenges and abortive moves along the way. But when the dust settled as the field turned for home, the outcome came down to the two elimination winners--Captain Albano trying to hold firm, Wish You Well pouring through a suddenly available Lightning Lane. Captain Albano prevailed by a neck in 1:49.2, matching his career best.Timeisonmyside, who reached the final as a 47-1 long shot in his elim, ducked from the gate but nicely weaved his way through traffic to earn show. Noblesville was fourth.

McCarthy indicated he didn't think his horse was in danger of coming up short.

"I'll be honest with you," he said. "He was a little tired, it was a real big mile. But when I heard David coming late, I asked him to go on, and he went that little bit more.'

For his part, Miller said the result might have been different had he found the Lightning Lane sooner.

"I would like to have sat in the two hole, but I'm happy to be second ," Miller said. "He raced great. He raced great both weeks here."

It was the first Adios title for both McCarthy and Daley.

ADIOS NOTES: The Ron Burke stable, which has entered as many as 29 horses on Adios Days past, settled for 17 Saturday. "We're slacking off," joked the stable's Kein Weimer. But the quality was there, as Burke collected a three-bagger.  .  .When he came up a neck short, Miller missed a chance to move into sole possession of second place on the Adios championships list. He's currently in a six-way tie for second with three titles. All-time leader John Campbell has eight, a mark that may never be matched.

Captain Albano did what was expected while Wish You Well pulled off the completely unexpected Saturday (July 20) at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, as each won an elimination of the $400,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids.

Wish You Well did the unexpected on Saturday with a victory in an elimination of the Delvin Miller Adios. Chris Gooden Photo.

They’ll be joined in the $350,000 Adios final on July 27 by Huntingforchrome, Sweet Beach Life, Clever Cody, Timeisonmyside, Noblesville and Nuclear as well as Outer Banks, who reached the final as the fifth-place finisher with higher career earnings. It was a successful Adios start for trainers Travis Alexander and Ron Burke; each had three starters and saw two of those starters make it through.

Connections of Captain Albano and Wish You Well will select their post positions, with a shake determining their choosing order. All other post positions will be determined by a random draw Wednesday.

Last year’s Dan Patch Award-winning freshman male pacer, Captain Albano (Todd McCarthy) was sent off the 1-5 favorite and looked very much the part. He quarter-poled to the top for McCarthy and widened his advantage from there, scoring by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:49.2. Timeisonmyside (Anthony MacDonald) and Noblesville (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) completed the ticket.

“I figured if I could get away and stay out of trouble, he’d be all right,” McCarthy said. “You have to be careful with them. He’s gotta come back next week, so you don’t want to spend too much fuel. We’ll draw close to the inside for the final; that definitely will be an advantage.”

The son of Captaintreacherous-Angelou boosted his lifetime bankroll to $577,915 for trainer Noel Daley and owners Patricia Stable, L A Express Stable, Sjoblom Racing and Michael Dolan.

It appeared that the ending would be vastly different for Wish You Well (David Miller). The Bettor’s Wish-Where’s Alice gelding, dismissed at 25-1, trailed by six lengths at the top of the lane, with no immediate racing room. But when Miller angled him off the cones, he exploded past the leader, Huntingforchrome (James MacDonald), and defeated him by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:49.1, with Sweet Beach Life third (Matt Kakaley).

“He had a big kick to him there, didn’t he?” Miller said. “I was just trying to get him into the final. And, jeez, when I got him out and got his plugs out, he kicked into a gear I wasn’t expecting. That was pretty cool.”

On Adios Day, the final of the Pace for the Orchids anchors a blockbuster program that features six Grand Circuit stakes. In addition, the card will offer a total of $200,000 in pool guarantees spread over 11 wagers, thought to be the “Richest Day in PA’ for bettors.

As the field turned for home in Saturday’s (July 29) $350,000 final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, two questions remained before the house: Could Cannibal find the Lightning Lane in enough time to speed by the trio vying for the lead? Would he have enough pop to overtake them?

The answers were he could and he did, as Cannibal poured through the Lightning Lane to capture a head victory in 1:49 in the 57th edition of the Adios.

It's My Show put on a show once more, blazing to a world record 1:47.4 Saturday in an elimination of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at Hollywood Casino at The Madows. Cannibal captured the other elimination. Those two will be joined in Saturday's $350,000 final by the rest of the top four finishers in each elim as well as the fifth-place finisher with higher career earnings. Thus, in addition to It's My Show and Cannibal, the Adios final field will include Redwood Hanover, Seven Colors, Fulton, Ken Hanover,Ervin Hanovr,Flite Craft and Bamboozler (who was the qualifying fifth-place finisher. Linda Toscano will be the only trainer with two finalists, sending out It's My Show and Fulton.

The draw for Adios final post positions will take place Wednesday, with the connections of It's My Show and Cannibal choosing their post positions after a random draw to determine their selection order. All other post positions will be determined by random draw. The July 29 Adios Day card shapes up as a blockbuster, featuring five Grand Circuit stakes in addition to the Adios. First post that day is 11:45 AM.

Ervin Hanover cut the fractions in his elimination, throwing down a swift 1:20.1 three-quarters while It's My Show followed patiently in third. But when Scott Zeron tipped him off the cones, the Sweet Lou-Put On A Show gelding left Ervin Hanover in his wake and defeated the closing Ken Hanover by a length while Ervin Hanover saved show.The mile is the fastest ever by a 3-year--old gelding on a five-eighths-mile track, knockinh a tick from the record shared by Wiggle It Jiggleit and Lucan Hanover.

The Pepsi Norh America Cup winnner is now undefeated in seven outings this year--with career earnings of $536,215-- after a winless freshman season.But he hadn't raced since the June 17 North America Cup, skipping the Meadowlands Pace by design, and Toscano, who conditions the homebred for Richard Young and Joanne Young, wondered if he'd be as tight as he needed to be.

On paper, North America Cup winner Pebble Beach Glass and Meadowlands Pace champion Beach Glass looked many lengths better than the rest of the field in Saturday's $350,000 final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. But Bythemissal reminded us forcefully that an elite test for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers is not contested on paper.

Three storms struck southwestern Pennsylvania during Saturday's eliminations card for the $400,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. The first was an act of nature that blew up rain, swirling winds, thunder and lightning that forced a delay of about 15 minutes in the card.

The others were named Beach Glass and Pebble Beach, who each stormed to a 5-3/4-length victory in the eliminations. Those results set up a battle between the leaders of the sport's glamor division in the $350,000 Adios final, which takes place Saturday, July 30 and anchors a blockbuster card that features six Grand Circuit stakes. First post is 11:45 AM.

Joining Beach Glass and Pebble Beach in the final will be Fourever Boy, Nautical Hanover, Ario Hanover, Bythemissal, Quick Snap, Atlas Hanover and River Ness, who notched his berth by being the fifth-place finisher with the higher career earnings. The connections of Beach Glass and Pebble Beach will choose their post positions, with their order of selection determined by draw. All other post positions will be determined by random draw Wednesday.

The track had turned sloppy by the time Beach Glass faced the starter, and winning driver Yannick Gingras approached the first quarter cautiously.

"I was just letting them all settle," Gingras said. "I wanted him on the front obviously, but I just wanted to stay out of trouble."

Once on the point, the Meadowlands Pace winner widened steadily, scoring in 1:49 with a 27 final panel.

"He's better every week," Gingras said. "He was amazing in the Meadowlands Pace, and he was amazing today. We get to pick our post position? Awesome. You just made my day."

Brent MacGrath, who trains the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Im With Her for Schooner II Stable, said he saw everything he needed to see from his colt and likely won't be making any changes.

"He's just learning how to do it, and he's coming into his own," MacGrath said. "We just need to keep him healthy, keep him out of trouble and give him to Yannick." Beach Glass pushed his career earnings over $562,000.

Hellabalou used a pocket trip to pull off an 81-1 upset in a Meadowlands Pace elimination. He worked out a two-hole-journey-with Lightning-Lane-brush to take his Adios elimination. He couldn't possibly fashion another garden trip in the Adios final, could he?

He could and he did, pouring through the Lightning Lane once more to capture the $375,000 final of the 55th edition of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids Saturday at The Meadows' It was the first Adios title for both Hall of Fame driver Tim Tetrick and winning trainer Eddie Dennis. The son of Sweet Lou-Magestic Blue Chip now has banked $327,136 for owner Eric Good.

Rockyroad Hanover split horses for second, 1-1/4 lengths back, with Water Sports Teen, who did most of the heavy lifting, third. Winning time was 1:48.4.

Hellabalou zipped to the front from post 5 in a snappy 26 but yielded to the pocket when Water Sports Teen and Joe Bongiorno pressed him for the lead. Water Sports Teen was able to resist the first-over challenge of elimination winner Abuckabett Hanover, but the effort left him vulnerable to the inside thrust of Hellabalou. Tetrick said he thought Water Sports Teen would get him to the Lightning Lane.

Water Sports Teen, Hellabalou and Abuckabett Hanover each captured an elimination of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids Saturday at The Meadows and will advance to the $375,000 final on July 31. They'll be joined by six other qualifiers--Natameri, Southwind Gendry, Mysweetboymax, Chase H Hanover, Rockyroad Hanover, Lou's Pearlman--who finished in the top three in their eliminations.

Always A Miki is the also eligible by virtue of his highest career earnings among the fourth-place finishers. Trainers Tony Alagna (Abuckabett Hanover, Rockyroad Hanover) and Ron Burke (Southwind Gendry, Lou's Pearlman) each will be represented by a pair of finalists. The connections of the eliminations winners have earned the right to choose their post positions, with a random draw to determine their selection order. First post Adios Day is noon.

Joshua Graber's Water Sports Teen threw down a swift 1:21.2 three-quarters--and just kept going, coming home in 27 to score in a career-best 1:48.2. The son of Somebeachsomewhere-Posey Tina now has three starts in the stable of trainer Jennifer Bongiorno; not only has he won all three, but he's been ahead at every pole.

"The horse seems a little more manageable, a little more relaxed now," said winning driver Joe Bongiorno. "He's fitting in our program really well. He was on cruise control today; he finished with the ear plugs in. I think he had a little left."

Catch The Fire hung tough against a host of pursuers Saturday to capture the $375,000 final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows and provide an indelible career highlight for trainer John Ackley and driver Mike Wilder.

Chief Mate rallied for second at 50-1 while the hard-used No Lou Zing earned show. The winning time over a sloppy surface was 1:49.3.

This 54th edition of the Pace for the Orchids likely was the most unusual thanks to COVID-19 restrictions. Usually jam-packed stands seated only a handful of invitees. The apron, usually rocking with fans and live bands, was eerily silent. The presumptive heavy favorite, Papi Rob Hanover, was out of the final with a season-ending injury. As usual, though the horses provided more than enough drama to make up for any missing elements.

After Elver Hanover seized the early lead from post 9, Wilder and Catch The Fire quarter-poled to the point, where they faced a backside challenge from No Lou Zing.

Papi Rob Hanover blazed his way to the $375,000 final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids in a world record 1:47.1, a world record for a 3-year-old colt on a five-eighths mile track. Also winning eliminations Saturday (July 25) at The Meadows were The Greek Freak and Catch The Fire.

Joining the three winners in the Aug. 1 final are Later Dudes, Chief Mate, No Lou Zing, Sweet Truth, Capt Midnight and Elver Hanover. Connections of the elimination winners will choose their post positions Tuesday (July 28), with their order of selection determined by random draw. All other post positions will be randomly drawn.

The Adios Day card is a blockbuster, featuring two Grand Circuit stakes in addition to the Adios as well as Pennsylvania Sires Stakes and PA Stallion Series action.

The Meadowlands Pace runner-up, Papi Rob Hanover was comfortably in front after quarter-poling to the point for David Miller following Captain Barbossa’s unrealistic 25.3 opening panel. The son of Somebeachsomewhere-Panera Hanover reached three-quarters in 1:20.3, but he wasn’t done yet, clicking off the final panel in 26.3. Sweet Truth was second-placed third,10-1/2 lengths back, while No Lou Zing was elevated to second.

Five weeks after undergoing emergency surgery for hernia repair, Southwind Ozzi blazed to victory for Brian Sears in 1:48 in Saturday's $400,000 final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids at The Meadows. It was the second-fastest mile in the 53-year history of the Adios, missing Bolt The Duer's 1:47.4 record (2012) by a tick.

It was the third Adios title for Sears, who triumphed previously with Pine Valley (2001) and Delmarvalous (2010). Bill MacKenzie, who trains the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Southwind Solara for Vincent Ali, Jr. and Alma Iafelice, became an Adios victor in his first appearance in the stake.

Southwind Ozzi came through his surgery well, though surgeons had to remove a testicle during the procedure. Thus, Southwind Ozzi goes into history as the first ridgling to win the Pace for the Orchids.

'Ozzi' and Sears got away fourth, watching as Prince Of Tides and Dave Palone threw down sizzling fractions of 25.3/53.3. When he saw that, Sears said, he was comfortable sending 'Ozzi" first over.

"I liked the way things were setting up," he said. "They were going so fast that they couldn't really shut it down that much.I had sent him first up before, and he didn't seem to mind it. He's a pleasure to drive. He makes my job easy."

'Ozzi' overwhelmed Prince Of Tides and drew off to score by 7 lengths while Prince Of Tides gamely held off Stag Party for place. Informed that he had narrowly missed the Adios record, Sears replied:

"I'm not one who goes after records. I like to win."

Southwind Ozzi, Prince Of Tides and Captain Victorious each won an elimination of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids Saturday (July 20) at The Meadows and will advance to the July 27 $400,000 Adios final. They’ll be joined by six others who qualified for the final: Branquinho, Wild Wild Western, Reigning Deo, Quatrain Blue Chip, Escapetothebeach and Stag Party.

The elimination winners will choose their post positions, with their order of selection determined by lot. The other post positions will be determined by random draw set for 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Adios Day card begins at 11:25 a.m., with the Adios set for race 15 on the 16-race program, a blockbuster card that includes five other Grand Circuit stakes as well as the $50,000 Foiled Again Invitational Pace.