Manchego headlined the qualifier card, as the unbeaten Dan Patch award-winning freshman trotting filly of last season made her first public appearance of the year Saturday, May 12 at the Meadowlands, picking up right where she left off in the 2017 Breeders Crown final with a win.
The talented filly put in a workman-like effort as driver Yannick Gingras settled her mid-pack early through honest fractions then followed the live cover of Top Expectations before eclipsing that game rival by a pair of lengths to win in 1:53.4, with her last quarter in :27.3 under her own power. Jimmy Takter is the trainer and she is owned by Black Horse Racing, John Fielding and Herb Liverman.
Takter also sent out Nutcracker Sweet from his battalion of sophomore pacing colts. On not a particularly nice evening, he set a comfortable pace then ripped home in :26.2 for a 1:50.2 score with Tim Tetrick aboard.
Another colt from Takter's barn that did not race at two, Thinkbig Dreambig, gained a bit in the final quarter to be second. Howard Taylor, Order By Stable and Richard Lombardo own Nutcracker Sweet.
Jimmy took the lines on his most accomplished returning trotting colt, last year's Peter Haughton Memorial winner You Know You Do, eased him to the front by the three-eighths then used a :27.4 final quarter to hold a game first-over Shoshie Deo at bay by a length in 1:54.1. Wolfgang made his seasonal bow as well and was a good fourth off a conservative trip. Taylor, Order By Stables, Hatfield, Katz and Libfeld share ownership of the winner.
Sophomore filly trotter Repentance, driven by Tim Tetrick, won her qualifier in 1:53.3, cutting the mile and fighting back after Supergirl Riley poked a head past her early stretch in the :27.2 final quarter. Linda Toscano trains the Diamond Creek homebred.
For A Dreamer won in 1:55 and Band Stand also posted wins on the qualifier program.
(With files from the Meadowlands)