Big Red Machine ties track record

Mello blazed his way into the record books last month after eclipsing the previous mark of 1:03 set by female driver Catrina Sims two years ago.

Big Red Machine, who “unofficially” tied the world record after covering the half mile distance in 58 seconds flat in Indiana as a five-year-old, equalled his track record at Vesey Street earlier this month — but was disqualified for straying off the race course with American driver Devon Slabach holding the reins.

However, the six–year-old stud, co-owned by Mello and Robert Lopes, would not be denied during last weekend’s racing at the Devonshire facility.

Mello said: “We had a very good day at the races… my performance was good. I had six rides with three wins and three seconds and Big Red Machine tied the record again. It was a good day for me on the whole, in fact, it was a nice day for racing.”

To characterize the day as “good” was perhaps a gross understatement as Mello also qualified Knight Dreamer and Black and Mild for the three and four-year-old Stakes finals — to be held at Vesey Street tomorrow — to cap yet another extraordinary display.

Favoured

The past Driving Horse and Pony Club executive added: “It is always a good feeling to qualify horse for the Stakes final because we do put in a lot of work and this is what we race for. The goal at the end of the year is to get into the Stakes final and do good.”

Mello attributes his success at the race track this season to good old fashioned “hard work”.

He added: “I’ve been training and putting the time in. And what you put in is what you get out.” 

Meanwhile, the only other driver to qualify multiple horses for the New Year’s Day Stakes final at Vesey Street last weekend was past DHPC president Nick DeCosta.

The veteran driver guided Iron Mike, Kernel’s Maestro and Abby’s Dream through to the two, three and four year-old Stakes finals to set himself up for a lucrative pay day.