From last to first, Regal Escape was on a mission Friday, Dec. 6 at The Meadowlands. The Indiana sired gelding rallied with authority in the stretch to score the win by a nose.
Regal Escape and Scott Zeron rallied the quickest at the end of the mile to earn the win Friday, Jan. 6 at The Meadowlands.
Guided by Scott Zeron, Regal Escape headed straight to the back of the pack at the start of the $9,000 conditioned pace. Collina Kay Jay A and Joe Bongiorno set the first fraction at :27.2 and was overtaken before the half in :55.1 by Cinnamack and George Brennan. The outer flow formed at the three-quarters in 1:24.1 and Regal Escape was part of that movement. However, he was so far back early on, he really didn’t figure into the stretch drive.
Regal Escape was still several lengths off the top ones in the stretch. After moving three-wide around the final turn, he had passed up half of his opponents for the final quarter. Regal Escape went to work to pass up defenders and the last half of the drive was all his. He strided out in :27.2 to nab the top two at the wire by a nose for the win in 1:53.0. Rifelman and Corey Callahan finished second just a neck ahead of Midnight Lightning and Shaun Vallee.
Regal Escape lit up the tote board, paying $102.00 to win. The seven-year-old son of Real Desire is owned by Sun Coast Racing and trained by Joe Sansone. Dr. Keith Hollendonner bred the Indiana product, who was making his first start of 2023. To date, the veteran pacer has 17 career wins and more than $100,000 in earnings. His career best time of 1:52.2 was taken at the age of five at Pompano Park.
Regal Escape is well traveled. After beginning his career in Indiana in the Roger Welch barn, Regal Escape was sold and headed East. He’s won races from Upstate New York to Florida and points in between. This is the second time Sun Coast Racing has owned him. They first claimed him during the summer of 2021 and reacquired him in February of last year.
Regal Escape was the second highest priced yearling at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale in 2017, fetching a price of $17,000. He is part of the fifth crop of Real Desire in Indiana. He is the last foal from the Artiscape mare Beach Escape, who is the daughter of Grandma’s Ashley. He is a full brother to Cantescapemydesire, who is still racing at the age of 11 and has a mark of 1:51.0 and more than $240,000 on his card.