It is a me Mario (American ideal) is able to bring grin because of his name, but he can also do it with his appearances for the dish racing.
As a 5-year-old son of the American ideal NFALSA, a ME-Mario is in the second round of the MGM Borgata stimulation on Monday at the MGM Yonkers Raceway as 7-5 Morgenline favorites in the first of five $ 50,000 divisions for the older male Pacers. He will depart with Jason Bartlett in the Sulky for coach Shane Trefon from Post Five.
Last year it was a Me -Mario -originally as untucked when he was sold for 16,000 US dollars as a yearling at Sale 2021 Standardbred Horse, won 11 races at Yonkers, a total number of only three horses on the Hilltop. For his career on all routes, it has a me Mario, 16 victories under 30 top three places in 50 races. He deserved $ 409,983.
“He definitely has a good name,” said stepon with a laugh. “My son (Levi) named him as a yearling. It is a name that at least makes many people smile.
“We probably spoiled him a lot and took care of him a lot, but he was a really good horse all his life. We just wanted to try to build him into a handsome, experienced open horse. Hopefully we are on the right track. Last year we gave him a pretty gentle year. He still won 11 races. Progress.”
In the opening round of the last week of the six-week Borgata series, it was a ME-Mario in 1: 51.1 in the rain behind Mossdale Ben N. Desperate Man, who last won four Borgata prelims and took third place in the final. It was the second fastest of the five Borgata divisions of the night, which was only improved once in the 1:51 score of life.
In his second race of the season it was a Me Mario who at the beginning settled in third place and then approached a first coat of arms with half the milestone. He got involved in the lead with three round of 16 and could not hold Mossdale Ben N in a deep route.
“I couldn't have been proud,” said Traffon. “He was probably not quite ready for it, but he really stood against the two best horses in the series. He took it to them for at least 95 percent of the mile.
“This is not really him. He usually becomes a cover and follows Jason, but I said Jason before the race that we are moving out the gloves this year. Jason was overjoyed with him and he only gets better. Maybe we can get away this week with a few points.”
All of the lifelong victories from me Mario's lifelong victories came over Yonkers' half -mile oval. The exception was a Modern York Sire Stakes Triumph in a career best 1: 49.4 as a 3-year-old with seven miles-miles vernon-downs.
“He is such a handsome driving horse on half a mile. I think that is his biggest weapon,” said stepon, who trains the gelding for the owner Joshua Jay Graber. “There would be not many horses who can go around a curve as soon as possible.
“It showed up last week. He had a few pretty good horses in the race, and he immediately put them about four or five lengths on them. So he's quickly. Unfortunately, he can't go so quickly so quickly.
It is a Me Mario in the Nys's championship at the age of 3 at Yonkers, even though she started eight from Post. It is one of four races worth at least 225,000 US dollars in which it is a ME career. He started from seven in the 2023 mgm Grand Messenger Stakes and the second stage 10 in the 2024 Aria Invitational, both in Yonkers, and post eight in the Meadowlands Tempo 2023 in Meadowlands.
“He was in many real large races, but he never pulled in one of them,” said Traffon. “So, he really doesn't have the chance to sit on good horses and make a gap. Hopefully we can do that at some point. We just have to be a little more lucky when it comes to the (post) drawings.”
It is a Me Mario enjoyed a two -month break from the race to prepare for the Borgata, which will continue with weekly preliminary rounds until April 28th. The final and $ 100,000 rust of $ 200,000 will be on May 9th.
“Throughout the off -season, it was about strengthening it and preparing him for the Borgata,” said Traffon. “Everything was perfect. His work at the moment is as good as I could ever ask for a horse. His attitude is great.
“Hopefully he can do with the large boys and do a little damage. We don't expect the world from him, but at least we would like to be a player. He just has to find a little more and he would be quite challenging to beat. But we will still love him.”
The race begins at 6.45 p.m. (EDT) at Yonkers. For free daily Trackmaster Platinum Past performances, see the Standardbred Owners Association of Modern York website Click here.
For complete racing entries, click here: US trap entries.
from Ken WeingartnerFor the Usta
