Be Perfect BG kept her undefeated record intact with a devastating 1:50 1/5 score over six rivals in the $180,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes final for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Friday (Aug. 1) at the Meadowlands, knocking 1 3/5 seconds off her previous lifetime mark and equaling the season's fastest mile from a 2-year-old pacer.
Driver Dexter Dunn took his time with Be Perfect BG early in the race, yielding to track the tandem of Perfect Thought (driven by Scott Zeron) and Napalm (David Miller) from third through a 27 second opening quarter before activating the Perfect Sting-JK Mardi Says filly with five-eighths to go. After clearing Perfect Thought for command midway up the backstretch, Be Perfect BG traveled unopposed through middle sectionals of 54 4/5 and 1:22 4/5 before willingly shifting gears and opening up a three length lead off the corner for home. She used 27 2/5 stretch speed to seal her fifth victory in as many starts and evade a mild late rally from Napalm by a measured 2 1/2 lengths. Perfect Thought tired after being headed for second in mid-stretch and finished third, another 7 1/4 lengths in arrears.
"When she came to us, she was a nice, good-sized filly, well put together," said Anthony Beaton, who took over the training duties of Be Perfect BG after she won the first two races of her career at Hippodrome 3R, in Quebec, for owner Ecurie CSL. "She's been nothing but exceptional since we got her; she keeps getting better and better every week."
Be Perfect BG increased her career earnings to $121,950 with the victory. As the 1-5 favorite, she paid $2.40 to win.
In the co-featured $225,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes final for 2-year-old male pacers, Sonofanutcracker withstood a barrage of pressure - including two separate challenges from runner-up Rocknacious - to lower his lifetime mark to 1:51 2/5.
The pair threw down in a 27 second first quarter duel, with second-leg winner Sonofanutcracker and driver Andy McCarthy using the entirety of the first turn to work clear of Rocknacious (Zeron). Upon reaching the backstretch, Sonofanutcracker found himself in the crosshairs of first-leg winner Reincarnated (Joe Bongiorno), who pressed forward to stick a neck in front and engaged Sonofanutcracker through a 55 second half after floating forward in the two-path on the first turn.
Reincarnated failed to clear and a resolute Sunofanutcracker reclaimed control of the terms with seven-sixteenths to go, only for Bookie J (Dunn) to circle stalled cover on the far turn and take his shot past three-quarters in 1:23 4/5. Sonofanutcracker shrugged off Bookie J's bid at the eighth pole and then repelled a second challenge from Rocknacious, who wedged out of the pocket with 150 yards to go, to prevail by a diminishing half length. Bookie J preserved third, another 2 3/4 lengths behind, after leveling off.
"He just came along steady," said trainer Tom Cancelliere of the Nutcracker Sweet-Rob Them Blind colt. "He's still a little green, but when they came alongside of him, he fought them off tonight, so that was good. I thought we were in trouble; they were coming strong."
Sonofanutcracker, who has won twice and earned $130,250 from four starts, competes as a homebred for John Cancelliere. He paid $6.20 to win.
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HEAD OF THE CLASS: On the Friday night undercard were seven $25,000 leg two divisions of the Kindergarten Series for 2-year-olds of each sex and gait. Those winners were:
-Race 2 - colt and gelding trot: Magic Punk (Wishing Stone-I D Entity No), driver Ake Svanstedt, trainer Ake Svanstedt, time for the mile a lifetime-best 1:54, returned $2.80 to win as the 2-5 favorite
-Race 4 - colt and gelding trot: Mr Penner (Captain Corey-Wet My Whistle), Svanstedt, Svanstedt, first lifetime win in 1:54 2/5, $33.80 as the 15-1 fourth choice
-Race 5 - filly pace: JK Fierce Lady (Captaintreacherous-JK First Lady), Dexter Dunn, Nancy Takter, lifetime-best 1:53, $3.20 as the 3-5 public choice
-Race 7 - filly trot: Busy Miss Lissy S (Calgary Games-Hill's Angel S), Svanstedt, Svanstedt, lifetime-best 1:56 1/5 to stay unbeaten in three career starts, $3.60 as the 4-5 favorite
-Race 9 - filly pace: Amira Hanover (Papi Rob Hanover-Ameraway), Joe Bongiorno, Joe Bongiorno, first lifetime win in 1:52 2/5, $17.40 as the 7-1 third choice
-Race 11 - filly trot: Denarius (International Moni-Treviso), Dunn, Domenico Cecere, 1:55 2/5 in her career debut, $3.20 as the 3-5 public choice
-Race 13 - colt and gelding pace: Signal Caller (Captaintreacherous-Square Dancer), Andy McCarthy, Noel Daley, first lifetime win in 1:52 1/5, $6.40 as the 2-1 second choice
A LITTLE MORE: Dunn led the driver colony with four wins on the card. Svanstedt's three walks down victory lane paced the trainers. All-source handle on the 14-race card totaled $3,144,276. Racing resumes Saturday, Hambletonian Day, at noon, with a spectacular 16-race program that features the 100th edition of the $1 million Hambletonian.
--press release (Meadowlands)--