Lawless Shadow, co-owned by Serge Savard, elevated to Meadowlands Pace victory
At 1h40, on July 18, 2021 • By KEN WEINGARTNER, USTA
Ian Moore’s first Meadowlands Pace win came in a way he never experienced victory before in a major stakes — by disqualification.
Lawless Shadow was declared the winner of Saturday’s (July 17) $700,000 Meadowlands Pace for 3-year-old pacers after Charlie May was disqualified for causing interference coming out of the final turn at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Charlie May was first across the finish line, a neck ahead of Lawless Shadow, over a “good” surface in 1:48.3 in the rain at the Big M. But Charlie May was placed ninth for interfering with Rockyroad Hanover and Abuckabett Hanover as he came three-wide heading into the stretch.
Lawless Shadow was elevated to first, with favorite Perfect Sting second and Southwind Gendry third.
It was the first Meadowlands Pace win for Moore and driver Mark MacDonald.
“I never won a big race on a setback before, but I guess we’ll take it,” Moore said.
“He’s a real nice colt. I prepped him for this all along. We were hoping to come here and I’m glad we did now, for sure, even in the pouring rain.”
Lawless Shadow led the field to the first quarter in :25.3 before Perfect Sting took command on his way to a :53.2 half. On the backstretch, One Eight Hundred, who was second at the quarter-mile point, went off stride because of broken equipment.
Charlie May followed the cover of first-over Southwind Gendry as the group raced to three-quarters in 1:21.3. Lawless Shadow was third in the stretch and battled with Charlie May and Perfect Sting to the wire.
“I kind of feel bad for (Charlie May’s driver, Brett Miller); he’s a good friend of mine,” MacDonald said. “It was just a bad situation there. But I think if my horse gets out a little sooner, I might have won anyway. It’s still a win, but you hate to kind of win like that.”
Sent off at 5-1, Lawless Shadow paid $12.40.
The colt has earned more than $620,000 for owners Moore, R G McGroup Ltd., Frank Cannon, and former Montréal Canadiens star Serge Savard. He was bred by Seelster Farms and was the 2020 O’Brien Award winner as Canada’s best 2-year-old male pacer.
