The Meadowlands Pace elimination morning edition of Breakfast with the Babies was conducted under skies as blue as Taylor Swift’s eyes with fluffy clouds, flags were limp and temperatures in the 70’s.
Filly trotters kicked it off with Southwind Hope, a $52,000 Muscle Hill Lexington sale purchase winning out of the pocket in 2:00 (:28.1 final quarter) for Andy Miller. She tracked Pampered Winner until the stretch, tipped off her and went by willingly. Julie Miller trains for the family interests and partners Little E and Larry Dumain. The $400,000 Lexington sale topper Bene Bene made her debut in this one and went evenly in the back third of the field in a purely introductory performance.
Legal Lady won for John Campbell and Jan Johnson in the second. She took over from Ginny Weasley past the quarter and held sway comfortably in 2:00.3 (:29.3 final quarter). 'Ginny' held the place with Warriors Wear Pink and the late-charging Non Stick close for third. The winner is a homebred Deweycheatumnhowe for Caroline Gerry.
The Marvin Katz an Al Libfeld homebred Hustle Heart won again this morning for the Millers, zipping by the leader around the turn and trotting home in :28.4 on the end of a 2:02 mile. Heal The World was a sneaky good second here for the Johanssons.
Lindy Farms and Robert Rudolph have a sharp looking Cantab Hall colt named Taco Tuesday, who breezed around the oval effortlessly in 1:58.1 (:28.4 final quarter) all by himself. The colt had a pair of Vernon Downs wins on his past performance lines for Lindy assistant trainer Domenico Cecere before coming in for a Tim Tetrick test drive at M1. He was a $62,000 Lexington buy last fall by trainer Frank Antonacci. Desert Runner had some late foot for Ake Svanstedt to be third.
Goin To The Limit went nicely, winning again for Tetrick from the Tony Alagna barn in a forwardly placed 1:59.3 mile, with a :29 final frame. His $15,000 price at Lexington last fall certainly looks like a bargain for Alagna and partners Jodi Siamis, John Fodera and Tangie Massey as he advances. Yes Sir Officer followed the winner and held safe for second under his own power for the Hall of Fame duo of John Campbell and Chuck Sylvester.
The big wood was out for race six with over $800,000 worth of horseflesh on the track and the $240,000 Lexington buy Winter Harbor shone brightest. The son of Muscle Hill rode along behind Steed through a 1:29.3 three panels and rolled right by when Scott Zeron moved him out a lane for the 1:58 win. Steed held well for second and Curious De Vie flashed speed recovering from an early break to finish third. Tony Alagna trains the winner for Brittany Farms, John Cancelliere, Little E and the Winter Harbor Stable, a Myron Bell production.
As the gait switched to the pace, the Somebeachsomewhere filly Albany Girl was threaded through fillies late by Dave Miller and surprised Olivia Hope, who seemed to have orchestrated the result just as she desired for Alagna Racing until the numbers were posted. The winner hails from the Jimmy Takter barn where she is trained on behalf of Christina Takter, John Fielding and Joe Sbrocco, who gave $55,000 for her at Harrisburg.
A List Hanover won back in 1:55.2 for Andy and Julie Miller on behalf of owner Mario Mazza. This $145,000 Harrisburg Somebeachsomewhere filly led at every call and sprinted home in :28.1 to close the deal over the Alagna pair of Platinum Rocks and Torment Princess.
Pacing colts were the last bunch of freshmen to go and Andy McCarthy provided a perfect pocket trip to Inspiration View, which the son of Shadow Play converted into a 1:56.1 win (:28 final quarter). He cost Rick Phillips, Pete Venturini and trainer Mark Harder $35,000 at Harrisburg last November. Cash Is King held for second with JK Heaven Sent and Sam McSmith both closing nicely in the stretch.
Alagna sent out the superfecta in the 10th race with the American Ideal colt Mindtrip a front-running 1:54.1 (:27.2 finale) winner in impressive fashion for Brett Miller. Racing Hill was a good second, then Easy Lover Hanover and Tom Hill rounded out the ticket. The winner is owned by Alagna Racing, Joe Sbrocco, John Fodera and Thankful Reward Partners.
A few notable horses were in qualifiers today, preparing for the next few weeks of Grand Circuit racing.
Three-year-old trotting fillies had a presence with four of the best from last year getting in some work, led by Livininthefastlane, who cut the mile and won in 1:53.3, requiring a :27 flat final quarter to hold Wild Honey, Jolene Jolene (making her first appearance of the season) and Speak To Me at bay.
Bee A Magician, Market Share and Mr Picolet were together in the 14th and "Queen Bee" was a dominant winner in 1:52.4, sprinting home in :26.4. Market Share kept up and followed her through the wire while Mr Picolet, though third, is going to have to improve to compete at the top level.
McWicked returned to the races with a "better than it looks on paper" effort this morning. Dave Miller took him back, then moved into a :54.1 half with a :25.4 final quarter to be beaten four or five lengths to the good pacer Take It Back Terry, the winner's mile in 1:52 flat.
Tonight is a big night at The Meadowlands with a pair of eliminations for next week’s Meadowlands Pace and the Graduate Trotting Series Final chief among the seven stakes on the card. Post time is 5:30 p.m. again tonight.
To view Saturday's complete qualifying results, click on the following links: Baby Races / Qualifiers.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)