The Meadowlands will again host some of the sport’s top prospects, but this time with an expanded roster of stakes talent hitting the track.
A 16-qualifier session on Saturday morning (April 24) begins with three-year-old trotting fillies, with $400,000 yearling and full-sister to The Ice Dutchess, The Ice Countess ($2,500, 1:56.3M), going to post. Todd McCarthy will steer the Tony Alagna trainee as she makes just the fourth start of her career. She’ll be followed in the next qualifier by several other prominent Hambletonian Oaks eligible including Hello I Love You ($105,987, 1:54.2M), Illuminata ($131,933, 1:54.4F) and Pub Crawl ($225,725, 1:53.4M).
Breeders Crown elimination winner and final runner-up In Range ($411,003, 1:54.1S) returns to the track in the third qualifier against Peter Haughton winner Zenith Stride ($226,168, 1:53.2M), who will go his second qualifying mile of the year. Tim Tetrick steers In Range for trainer Marcus Melander, while Brian Sears will handle the reins of Zenith Stride for conditioner Mark Harder.
Million-dollar yearling Maverick ($2,900, 1:57.2M)—the richest Standardbred ever auctioned—will go his first mile on the racetrack since September in the fourth qualifier. Andrew McCarthy drives the Father Patrick-Designed To Be colt for trainer Tony Alagna. Another star-studded bloodline in that qualifier comes from Broadway Don ($6,350, 1:56M), a Fashion Farms homebred gelding by Donato Hanover out of 2009 Hambletonian Oaks winner Broadway Schooner; a full brother to millionaire Broadway Donna.
Qualifier six gathers a gang-buster group of mares beginning with Hypnotic AM ($1,155,684, 1:51.1M), the Marcus Melander-trained Chapter Seven mare that will have Brian Sears in the bike. Both Nancy Takter stars, world champion Manchego ($2,723,181, 1:49M) and 2020 Hambletonian Oaks winner Sorella ($849,762, 1:50.2M) will go their second qualifying mile of the year in this event, as well as Jim Campbell trainee and Breeders Crown champ Next Level Stuff ($646,816, 1:51.3M).
Campbell sends another from his top stock in the seventh qualifier with Crystal Fashion ($2,021,256, 1:50M). Jordan Stratton will drive the six-year-old Cantab Hall gelding against Kentucky Sires Stakes Champ Beads ($271,713, 1:51.2M). A familiar face to the Preferred ranks at Mohawk, Oney Hall ($133,292, 1:52.3S), also competes in this qualifier. The Deweycheatumnhowe gelding, previously trained by Bob McIntosh, is now under the care of Brett Pelling.
Pacing fillies go in the eighth qualifier in a group fronted by Three Diamonds winner Blue Diamond Eyes ($546,527, 1:51F) and JK Alwaysbalady ($218,782, 1:51S), the second foal from champion JK Shesalady. The following qualifier gathers Ontario Sires Stakes champ Scarlett Hanover ($357,110, 1:51.3S) against Notorious Pink ($276,081, 1:51.2S), who swept the Whenuwishuponastar Series last year. Rocknificent ($603,574, 1:49.1M), now a four-year-old, also competes.
Another aged mare, Treacherous Reign ($831,254, 1:48.3S), resurfaces for the 10th qualifier. That Tony Alagna trainee, now five, makes her first start since finishing eighth in the $300,000 Breeders Crown Final to Kissin In The Sand.
Glamour boys occupy the next few qualifying spots with Summa Cum Laude ($482,275, 1:50.2S) topping the 11th qualifier. The Ron Burke-trained colt by Somebeachsomewhere came the closest of any horse to beating Perfect Sting last year when he finished a dead-heat first in the $600,000 Breeders Crown. Dexter Dunn drives Summa Cum Laude in a race which also includes Burke trainee Lous Pearlman ($199,294, 1:49.1M) and Pirate Hanover ($48,709, 1:53.2S), who missed making the Metro Pace Final when an equipment error caused him to stumble to the track.
Then in qualifier 12, Joe Holloway sends Perfect Sting ($534,300, 1:49.2M) to the track for his first qualifier. Perfect in 10 starts, the colt from a Holloway-trained family of Always B Miki-Shebestingin starts from post 4 in a race also including Amanda Fine trainee Highlandbeachsbest ($127,721, 1:50.2M), who upset in his Metro Pace elimination and later won a division of the International Stallion Stakes.
Early-season star last year Abuckabett Hanover ($162,335, 1:50.3S) returns in the 13th qualifier. The Tony Alagna-trained colt by Betting Line generated buzz when uncorking strong Grand Circuit victories leading to the Metro Pace, where he faltered and finished sixth as the 1-5 favourite. Andrew McCarthy retains the drive.
More glamour boys go in the 14th qualifier with Southwind Gendry ($583,069, 1:50F) going his second mile of the year. The Ron Burke trainee goes in an event that includes Metro Pace winner Exploit ($389,470, 1:50.4S), Governor’s Cup winner Always A Miki ($331,261, 1:50.2M) and Battle of Waterloo champ Bettor Sun ($205,718, 1:53.4H).
Free for all pacers line the final two qualifiers of the session. Both Brett Pelling trainee Allywag Hanover ($253,988, 1:48M) and Nancy Takter pupil No Lou Zing ($523,558, 1:49.1F) go their second qualifying miles of the year, while Ron Burke will debut down-under import On The Cards N ($152,283). The six-year-old Bettors Delight gelding ships from the Purdon Stable, headed once by Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen before they announced their hiatus from harness racing.
Wrapping the 16-qualifier session is an event headlined by four-year-old Captaintreacherous stallion Warrawee Vital ($212,732, 1:47.1M), who ships from the Rob Fellows barn into Ron Coyne Jr.’s stable. Tim Tetrick drives the debuting four-year-old against Progress Pace winner and Nancy Takter trainee Fortify ($372,447, 1:47.3S). Canadian imports Kwik Talkin ($187,625, 1:51.1F), from the Amanda Fine barn; and Mayhem Hanover ($185,831, 1:50S), from the Gregg McNair barn, also compete in the final qualifier.
Canada will again be well represented during the qualifiers at The Meadowlands. Along with McNair and Fine, trainers Mark Steacy, Paula Wellwood, Blake MacIntosh and Jared Bako will also send horses to the gate.
The long morning of qualifiers gets underway at 9 a.m. (EDT).
To obtain entries for the qualifiers, click here. For program proofs, click here.