Time To Roll and Hurrikane Kingcole turned in winning performances and will advance to the $275,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic and while Rockaround Sue will headline the filly companion race, the $125,000 Thomas D’Altrui Miss New Jersey, both of which will be contested on Saturday, August 4, 2012 at The Meadowlands.
The elimination races shared the Meadowlands card on Saturday night, July 28, 2012 with elimination heats for the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks.
Both the New Jersey Classic and the Miss New Jersey are restricted to New Jersey-sired three-year-old pacers and are sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey.
Time To Roll [$2.40, $2.10, $2.10] drew off in the final sixteenth and crossed the wire three-quarters of the length ahead of the fast-closing Rollnlikeabigshot [$3.60, $2.40] in the second race, the first of the two $25,000 New Jersey Classic elims. Finishing two lengths behind the two sons of Rocknroll Hanover was Ideal Champ [$3.60], sired by Western Ideal, in third. Also qualifying for the final from the first elim were Verdad, by Western Ideal, and Shakerattlenrock, by Rocknroll Hanover. Time To Roll matched his career-best with a 1:50 clocking on a track rated good.
Trained by Jimmy Takter, Time To Roll was driven to victory by Andy Miller. He is owned and bred by Lothlorien of Cheltenham, Ont.
Time To Roll now has three wins and two seconds in seven starts this year and has finished on-the-board in seven of 10 lifetime starts. The New Jersey Sire Stakes champion was the runner-up in the North America Cup, but was a disappointing ninth in the Meadowlands Pace. He has banked over $500,000 lifetime.
Hurrikane Kingcole [$3.00, $2.20, $2.10], who won the $100,000 Meadowlands Pace Consolation on July 14 with a stunning 1:47.3 mile, was well in hand for his 1:48.3 victory in the second $25,000 New Jersey Classic elim, carded as the 10th race.
Driver Yannick Gingras released the Cams Card Shark colt at the half and won well in hand by a length and a quarter. Two sons of Rocknroll Hanover were second and third: Panther Hanover [$3.00, $2.20] and Simply Business [$2.40], who was four lengths back.
Hurrikane Kingcole, trained by John McDermott, has four wins and two thirds in 10 starts this year and has finished in-the-money in 14 of 24 career outings. He has banked nearly $386,000 for the partnership of Jeffrey Kuhen of Yardley, Pennsylvania, the John Levy Racing Stable of Hamilton, Ont., Klee Cohen Brewer And Gordo of East Rockaway, New York, and Hurrikane Racing LLC of Lyndhurst, New Jersey.
Also earnings spots in the final were Tell All son All Stienam and I Fought Dalaw, by Western Ideal.
The fillies were on display in the seventh race, the $20,000 elimination for the Miss New Jersey as 10 of the 11 starters earned a spot in next week’s $125,000 final.
Andy Miller put Rockaround Sue [$7.80, $4.00, $3.40] on the lead and held on for a two-length tally in 1:52 flat. The Rocknroll Hanover filly delivered her fourth win in eight tries this year, her third win in a row. Sarandon Blue Chip [$4.80, $3.60], by Western Ideal, was second, edging out Air Guitar Hanover [$10.80], a daughter of Rocknroll Hanover.
Rockaround Sue, trained and co-owned by Tony Alagna, also races in the name of the Uncirculated Stable of Burlington, Ont. and Alan Alber of Thornhill, Ont. She improved her career record to seven wins, two seconds and one third from 20 starts and earnings of $182,483.
Only Clear View Hanover missed the cut. Those advancing to the final, in order of finish, also included Childs Play, by Cams Card Shark, Western Ideal fillies Pirouette Hanover and Notreadytobenice, Cams Card Shark miss Blackjack Princess, Ram Rocker, by Rocknroll Hanover, and Western Ideal daughters Carolsideal and Mikeleh.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Meadowlands Racetrack.
(With files from SBOANJ)