Vivid Photo captures Titan Cup at Meadowlands

June 30, 2007

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Vivid Photo beat Corleone Kosmos by a neck and then waited out a steward's inquiry to win the $240,000 Titan Cup at the Meadowlands on Saturday night.

Driven by Roger Hammer, Vivid Photo dueled Corleone Kosmos down the stretch, appearing at one point to bear out and interfere with the other horse, but the result was not changed.

The 2005 Hambletonian champion covered the mile in 1 minute, 52.1 seconds. He paid $6.40, $3.20 and $2.40. Corleone Kosmos returned $3.40 and $2.60, while Ripped made a late rally for third and returned $3.60.

Hammer was forced to make a last-minute strategy change when Titan Cup prep winner Mr Muscleman came up lame and was scratched an hour before the race.

"I had my whole day planned, my strategy, but then he got scratched and I threw it up in the air," Hammer said. "Last week, I stayed up on Muscleman's back. They knew I had a strong horse and they had me trapped in, so this week I stayed off and played dead."

Hammer also was relieved that the victory was not overturned, giving Vivid Photo his 30th win in 57 starts for earnings of $2.3 million.

"We were just racing and I guess my horse came out a little bit and (Corleone Kosmos) came in a little bit," Hammer said. "We never actually touched each other."