When it comes to buying racehorses, Tom Pollack doesn’t often push the fences, typically opting to purchase established harness racing performers over yearlings, but that approach can still end up knocking one out of the park.
A good example is recent Breeders Crown Open Pace Champion Ervin Hanover, a 5-year-old purchased by Pollack after the horse’s 3-year-old season. Ervin Hanover has since won 18 races and earned more than $950,000.
On Thursday, two newer additions to Pollack’s stable, taking a similar approach, will be in action in $35,000 Progress Pace eliminations, for 3-year-old male pacers, at Bally’s Dover. Sugar Man is the 9-2 third choice in the first elim, behind 5-2 favorite Dandy Ideal and 7-2 Fallout, while Waffle Blue Chip is 10-1 in the second division. The top four players from each elim will advance to the $250,000 Progress Pace Finals on Wednesday, November 26.
Pollack bought both three-year-olds privately, acquiring Waffle Blue Chip in October and Sugar Man earlier this month. Both were previously trained by Brett Pelling and are now conditioned by Jeff Cullipher.
“They’re two really nice horses,” Pollack said. “They may be a step below the top group, but I think they are both sharp at the moment so they should be competitive.
“With both of them, because I don’t really have partners, I’ve adapted the model of buying high-end horses from owners who really only want 2- and 3-year-old horses in the game. We’ve bought horses at the end of their three-year-old seasons, and if they can go on and become horses, that’s a home run. More often than not, they go on and they’re just solid overnight racehorses.”
“But that’s been our business model just because the yearling game is risky and I can’t really spread the risk without a big partner group. This versus buying a yearling, you have a little bit of an advantage because you’ve seen what they can already do.”
Waffle Blue Chip, a son of Dear Lou-Vicinity, has finished first or second in 11 of 17 races this season, earning $114,578, with his most recent four starts coming for Pollack and trainer David Menary in Canada. The colt placed eighth in his debut for Pollack, which took place in a Breeders Crown elimination at Woodbine Mohawk Park. He rebounded with a second in a 3-year-old Open, followed by back-to-back wins in conditioned races, including at Mohawk.
His seven-horse Progress elimination includes Prince Hal Hanover, the 5-2 favorite in the morning line, as well as Captain Optimistic (7-2), Fusion (9-2) and Madden Oaks (6-1). Jason Bartlett will pilot Waffle Blue Chip, starting from post five.
“We got him right before the Breeders Crown,” Pollack said. “He scored (post) eight in the elimination with Louprint and Dandy’s Ideal, horses that were just better than him, so that was tough. He’s been against horses he could be more competitive with in his next three starts, and he was lights out.
“I like that he’s versatile and he likes to be involved. Hopefully we can get him in the game, make a trip and get to the final. It’s a tough group, so it’s a step forward for him. But I think he can handle it because he’s sharp now.”
Sugar Man, a son of Dad Rob Hanover-Sweet As Sugar makes his first start for Pollack. The colt has been on the board in 10 of 16 races this season, winning five and earning $112,299. He won his two most recent starts, the consolation division of the Monument Circle and a division of the Circle City Stakes, both at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Sugar Man starts from post three with driver Todd McCarthy in his seven-horse Progress elim.
“We liked having him practice here this past week,” Pollack said. “We’re excited to see him race. We don’t really know much about him yet, but I know Hoosier isn’t the easiest place to win and he raced well there. So I think that’s a positive sign.”
Pollack ranks fifth in revenue this year among all harness racing owners, his fifth straight year in the top five. Over the past three years, only Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC have finished ahead of Pollack.
“It’s a testament to having a great team and buying quality horses,” Pollack said. “I have a good team around me – trainers, drivers, (agent) Marc Reynolds. It’s a really good group, which makes it fun. We’re all in it together and trying to win as many races as possible.
“I’m excited about these two new ones. I love the action, so it’s great to be able to buy horses and put them in a box shortly afterwards and let them race. We’ll see what happens.”
Racing starts at 4:30 PM (EST) at Bally’s Dover. The Progress Pace eliminations are races 12 and 14 on the 15-race card.
For full race entries, click here: American Trotting Entries.
Through Ken Weingartnerfor the USTA
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