Breakfast With The Babies, sponsored by Fashion Farms, got underway at 9:00 a.m. on a slightly overcast and comparably chilly Friday morning at the Meadowlands. The temperature was a comfortable 68F, and the track was fast to begin as the flags wafted lazily in a slight breeze. Larry Fox was on hand to call the action, which included 20 races for 2 year-olds and three qualifiers.
Pacing fillies kicked off the card, and Jimmy Slendorn pulled out his trusty slingshot and slayed a field of Goliaths with his Always B Miki filly Squankum Lady. Jim landed third from her outside post, then fanned wide for the drive and got up in the shadow of the wire in 1:55 2/5 (27 2/5 last quarter) to snap American Sunshine and Wave Dancer for the "W." Chris Height trains the winner for Slendorn and Judith Jannuzzelli bred her.
In the first baby race for trotting fillies, Sheza Single Lady (Yannick Gingras) won for the second time in as many tries for trainer Nancy Takter, this in 1:59 1/5, home in 28 1/5 on the lead. Glam (Svanstedt) left to the top, released the winner, then followed her in to be second. A $95,000 (LEX) buy for Caviart Farms, Patrick Hoopes and Herb Liverman, the Walner filly was bred by Jay & Jacob Mossbarger.
Walner got another credit as Lucille Walner (Dexter Dunn / Nik Drennan) rolled up wide and sailed by in 2:00 1/5, closing several lengths in her 27 4/5 final quarter to get by Patrona, who had led from the half. Joseph Davino, Brad Shackman and Drennan Stable gave $90,000 (HBG) for the winner. The breeders are Stop The Jade LLC. and Fair Winds Farm.
I'm Kronos S (Svanstedt) was an impressive 1:57 3/5 (27 second final quarter) first-over winner over another good pair in Ardonne and Apex, who both gained into the fast final quarter very willingly. I'm Kronos S was winning for the second time, this even more convincing than his first. He's another by Walner, bred in Sweden by Winged Lion Breeding and now owned by Part of Dream and Bruni Racing Team, who had the winning bid of $310,000 in Lexington.
Ake Svanstedt came right back with Rambo Hanover ($385,000 LEX) to win impressively in 1:58 1/5 (28 1/5 last quarter). Svanstedt settled in just off the lead through comfortable fractions, then tipped off the leader when they straightened up and went by willingly. Onassis and Pine Bush Landau both had good late trot for minor placings. The Hanover-bred son of Muscle Hill is owned by Svanstedt with Brochart Racing and Al Libfeld.
Reserved off early fractions, Sparks made it three straight for Svanstedt and four so far on the day for sire Walner when she trotted up uncovered and by the leaders to get the 1:58 3/5 score over a closing Chant. Bred by Fair Winds and Bellevue Farms, the winner was a $150,000 (HBG) purchase by Svanstedt, Journey Horses, Graham Grace Stables, Joe Sbrocco and John Fodera as JAF Racing.
Nancy and Jimmy Takter combined on a winner in the Ready For Moni filly Godusa, who took over near the quarter, rolled along smartly, then sprinted home in 28 seconds for the 1:57 3/5 record over a long uncovered bid by Opulence. Bred by Carter Duer, Godusa was a $35,000 (HBG) buy for E Five Racing and John Fielding.
Tristan Sjoberg has famously said his mom loves white horses, and they unveiled a vintage beauty this morning in Nebbiolo, a listed pinto son of first crop sire Captain Corey. Nebbiolo sat just off the lead of Trumptactical, then pounced when given the signal and came away with a 1:59 4/5 win, home in 28 seconds. Tristan races as Knutsson Trotting and Ake Svanstedt is the trainer/driver, his fourth on the day.
Melander Stable sent out its first winner on the day with the Muscle Hill gelding Nix Nacken (Scott Zeron), who tracked down the leader and rolled on by with a 27 3/5 end to the 1:58 1/5 mile over inside closing Sevenato. Anders Strom owns the winner via his Courant Inc., having paid $260,000 (LEX) to breeders Kentuckiana Farm and Eddie Gran.
Race 10 became a Tony Alagna match race when two scratched and two broke before the start, leaving just Pretty Picky (Todd McCarthy), who cut the mile and prevailed over barn mate Even It Up in an uneventful 1:59 3/5. A Tactical Landing filly, the winner was bred by Crawford Farms who remains a partner with LeBlanc, Pryde Stable and Beattie. She sold for $65,000 in Lexington.
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Frattina Diabolo S (Todd McCarthy / Alagna) inherited the lead when the leader broke mid turn and sailed away in 28 2/5 down the stretch to an easy 2:00 1/5 win over Pray For A Win. The winner is a Captain Corey Swedish homebred, owned by Dreamlover Ab.
Propulsion sired a winner today when Royal Drive (Todd McCarthy) set a clip of 29 3/5, 1:00 1/5 and 1:29 4/5, then sprinted home in 27 3/5 to just hang on over the relentless close of Inexpressable in 1:57 2/5. Royal Drive is a Claude Gendreau homebred and trained by Alagna, who also trained the sire during his US campaigns as a youngster.
American Power wanted to go early on but Dexter Dunn didn't allow it, reserving the Walner colt well off the lead of Captainofillusion, then waiting for the final three-eighths to let him trot. American Power responded by gobbling up his rivals for a 2:00 3/5 win with a strong last half. Diversion split rivals willingly when asked to be second. Bred by Katz & Libfeld from their champion mare Arianna G, American Power drew a $300,000 (LEX) winning bid from M. Biasuzzi Stable. He is trained in the Melander barn.
The pacing races resumed with She's A Rich Girl (Zeron), a blueblood that cost Richard and Joanne Young $360,000 (LEX), looked like a bargain as she stormed by the field to a 1:57 win, closing into a 27 4/5 final quarter over Tan Lines Hanover, also impressive closing in late with a sub 27 second finish. The daughter of triple Breeders Crown winner My Little Dragon is a sister to the winners of over $3 million, including full sister Treacherous Dragon and three-uarter brother Stay Hungry. Linda Toscano trains the Captaintreacherous filly, bred by Steve Stewart, Conquest Acres and David Schmucker Jr.
Todd McCarthy timed it perfectly with Drink To That, determinedly rolling by the competition from well off the early pace with a 26 4/5 end to the 1:55 2/5 mile, holding off the serious late rush of Signal Caller. A son of Tall Dark Stranger, the winner was a $100,000 (HBG) buy for Riverview Racing, Steve Head, Pryde & Alagna and Caviart Farms. Riverview gets a breeder credit along with trainer Tony Alagna and Marvin Katz.
Brandon Blvd gave Todd two straight, converting a pocket ride into a 1:55 3/5 win, home in 27 seconds to hold off Be Sting and a late-rallying Captain Wonderful. Andrew Harris trains the $425,000 (LEX) Captaintreacherous colt for his interests, along with partners Bill Pollock and Bruce Ariman. Crawford Farms is the breeder.
Play Date gave Todd his sixth and Tony his fifth on the day when she whipped out around the leader at the 1:02 1/5 half, took off and sprinted home in 56 seconds, winning as she pleased over Fabulous Hanover in 1:58 2/5. The daughter of Tall Dark Stranger is a Brittany Farms and Marvin & Lynn Katz homebred.
Sam De Pinto has another nice Papi Rob Hanover in the filly Papi's Crush (Gingras) who sat a pocket and brushed through like she meant it late to get the win in 1:55 2/5 (27 3/5 last quarter) over the wide-closing JK Fierce Lady. Shannon De Pinto and Chris Arvanitis own her, having paid $70,000 (LEX) to breeders Oliverio, Carter and Klotz.
First Colt (Dunn) led from the word "Go" in Race 19, then the going got serious as they straightened up for home with Shakeitonthebeach first at him, then widest of all Idyllic Stranger (Gingras / Takter) surged by right at the light for the 1:57 1/5 win. Another Tall Dark Stranger winner, the colt went through for $25,000 (LEX) and is a partial homebred with Christina Takter and Marvin Katz staying in and adding Barry Guariglia's Black Horse Racing and the trainer, Nancy.
Zeron and Toscano combined for the last of the day with Rocknacious winning on debut, leading all the way in 1:58 2/5, home in 27 3/5. The Perfect Sting colt, first foal from Breeders Crown winner Rocknificent, was a $150,000 (LEX) buy for South Mt Held Toscano Stable, Steve Stewart, Deo Volente Racing and Little E LLC., with Enviro Stable, South Mountain, Little E and John Schmucker the breeders.
One of this year's top Hambletonian contenders, Maximus Mearas S, won his first qualifier handily on the front-end in Race 21, prevailing in 1:54 4/5 and defeating last year's Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot favorite Luna Lovegood (Dunn) by 4 3/4 lengths. Lucas Wallin trains Maximus Mearas S, a Chapter Seven colt bred by Snogarps Gard Inc., for owner Kjell Andersen and Scott Zeron drove.
After that, 2024 Hambletonian runner-up Highland Kismet (Dunn) minded his manners today after several breaks in-a-row, moved from the pocket to the point before the 58 3/5 half and rolled to a six length victory in 1:54 4/5 for trainer Nancy Takter and owner/breeder Highland Thoroughbred Farm.
Finally, Admiral Hill, a 5-year-old Sweet Lou gelding who has earned over $651,000 lifetime, rallied out of third to tally by two lengths in 1:52 flat. Yannick Gingras had the drive for trainer Per Engblom and owner Morrison Racing Stables.
The Meadowlands will race tonight and tomorrow at 6:20.
--press release (Meadowlands)--