**Please see the attached photo of Trickmeister defeating Stay Thirsty in the $90,000 Vanlandingham overnight stakes. Credit NYRA/Adam Coglianese.**
Thursday, May 17, 2012
TRICKMEISTER CONJURES FRONT-RUNNING VANLANDINGHAM STAKES SCORE OVER STAY THIRSTY
By Ashley Herriman
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trickmeister took the lead and never looked back Thursday afternoon at Belmont Park, defeating 2011 Travers winner Stay Thirsty in the $90,000 Vanlandingham overnight stakes.
Away sharply under Ramon Dominguez, Trickmeister led the field through an opening quarter-mile in 23.23 and a half in 45.72. Stay Thirsty, who had pressed the pacesetter though the first half-mile, dropped back briefly to third before rallying through the stretch to finish 1 ¾ lengths behind the winner. Trickmeister, who completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:39.86, returned $4.80 as the 7-5 second choice. His final time was .48 seconds off the track record of 1:39.38 set by Birdrun in 2009.
"That was a tough customer he faced today, and we couldn't be happier," said Rick Dutrow, Jr., who trains Trickmeister for IEAH Stables and Pegasus Holding Group. "He ran big today. He had pressure on him the whole way, and Ramon said every time he asked him and needed him, the horse responded the right way. So, we're very excited."
Mike Repole's Stay Thirsty, the even-money favorite, was making his first start since finishing 11th in last November's Breeders' Cup Classic. Trainer Todd Pletcher said he was pleased with the colt's 4-year-old debut.
"You figure in a race like this you wouldn't have to set a track record in order to win, but [Trickmeister] ran an awfully good race and you have to give him credit for that," said Pletcher. "Coming off a six-month layoff and giving a horse like [Trickmeister] six pounds is a tall order. Alan [Garcia aboard fourth-place finisher Joan's Choice] was holding him in, so [Stay Thirsty] had no place to go. He got shuffled back, and we were giving the entire field six pounds and hadn't run in six months. You wouldn't expect to have to run 1:39 3/5 to win, but that's what we would have had to do. For where we were and where we wanted to be, this is a good start."
"It didn't work out for today, but in the long term this was a very good return race for him," added Stay Thirsty's jockey, Javier Castellano. "He has gotten bigger and stronger from last year, and he is a very mature and intelligent horse."
According to their respective trainers, the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Invitational Handicap, run at 1 1/8 miles on August 4 at Saratoga Race Course, is a major target for both horses.
"Naturally, our goal is the Whitney," said Dutrow. "I'd like to get another one of these races into him, and then run him in the Whitney. He loves that track up there. I'm hoping he stays together the right way. And I'm hoping we get to run him in another race like this where he shows up again. And then we'll be extremely excited."
Trickmeister's only loss to date came earlier this year in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap at
Arthur's Tale finished 3 ½ lengths behind Stay Thirsty, followed by Joan's Choice and Sastre. Swag Daddy was scratched.
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