The W.N. Reynolds Stakes continued on Friday evening at The Meadowlands in New Jersey, with six divisions – two for trotters and four for pacers - going postward.
Brian Sears stole the $32,489 opening split for two-year-old pacing fillies with Nikki Beach, who was unchallenged throughout the mile en route to a 1:53.2 tally. The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Western Wisdom dictated the tempo through fractions of :28.1, :57 and 1:26 before Sears asked his charge to turn on the jets – and boy did she turn them on. A :27.2 closing quarter was more than enough to seal the deal over Acquavella and Mistresstothestars.
Tony Alagna trains the juvenile for Brittany Farms of Versailles, KY. The first-time starter was a $90,000 purchase from last year’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale.
The odds-on favourite, Odds On Alpha, made an early break in the second division, and that filly’s bad fortune turned out to be the good fortune of Shebestingin who came away victorious in a lifetime best clocking of 1:53.4. Dave Miller sat third with the daughter of Bettors Delight-Armbro Tussle for the first half while Jerseylicious set sensible early fractions of :29.3 and :58.3 before Miller called on Shebestingin to go into attack mode. She pressed the leader to the three-quarter pole in 1:27.1 before edging away in the lane and drawing clear to win comfortably over Authorize and a bearing out Jerseylicious.
Joe Holloway trains the rookie, who was a $55,000 purchase from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale, for Val D Or Farms, Ted Gewertz and L And L Devisser LLC. She’s a half-sister to the sub-1:50 performers Hop Sing (1:48.3 - $984,396) and Bono Bests (1:49.3 - $547,760).
Source Of Pride catapulted off cover at the head of the lane and sprinted by rivals en route to his 1:52.4 tally in his $36,389 division for the colts and geldings. The son of American Ideal-Trim Hanover and driver Tim Tetrick were in no hurry in the early going, unlike Ralbar and Kenzies Beach Boy who battled to the quarter pole in :27.3. Race favourite Troon, who shot out of fourth in the backstretch and cleared without a tussle, supplied middle splits of :56.3 and 1:24.4, but he was no match for Source Of Pride who circled past him and the others for the win. Rocnrolwilneverdie was next best, with Edington rounding out the top three finishers.
Jimmy Takter trains the colt for Brittany Farms, Louie Camara and the partnership of Mkatz Alibfeld Sgoldband. The $280,000 purchase from last year’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale is a full-brother to world champion American Jewel (1:48.2 - $1,151,313).
Rocky Mountain Guy scored a narrow decision in his $36,789 division for driver David Miller, who rallied the Nifty Norman-trained colt to the head decision in a career-best clocking of 1:52.4. Miller tracked cover with the son of Rocknroll Hanover-Camadian in the back-half of the contest, and when he stepped on the accelerator in the lane the pacer fired home in :28.1 to post the narrow victory over Duel In The Sun. Race favourite Big Risk, who battled on the lead for most of the mile, was a lapped-on third.
Sent off at odds of 5-1, Rocky Mountain Guy celebrated the maiden-breaking win for the partnership of David McDuffee of Delray Beach, FL and Perretti Racing Stb LLC of Cream Ridge, NJ. They purchased the pacer for $75,000 from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
Win Missy B took the $28,426 opening division for the three-year-old trotting fillies, and she missed equaling the world record by one-fifth of a second for driver Brian Sears. The Conway Hall-Winning Missbrenda lass was headstrong throughout the mile carving out panels of :28.1, :55.3 and 1:22.4. She only needed a :30-second final frame to notch the victory over Dorsay and Riverfest in a career-best clocking of 1:52.4.
Charlie Norris conditions the speedball for owner/breeder Bob Key of Leechburg, PA. It was the second win of the season in four tries for the talented sophomore, who is now a 10-time winner to date.
Maven was much the best the second $28,426 division. The Jonas Czernyson-trained daughter of Glidemaster-M Stewart drew away from the competition en route to notching her third win of the season. Yannick Gingras hustled her to the lead in the backstretch and after laying down middle fractions of :57.1 and 1:26 she roared home in :27.4 to win by nine lengths over Chilitodayhotamale in 1:53.4. Chocolatta De Vie was a distant third.
Sent off as the 1-9 favourite, Maven won for the tenth time in her career for owner W J Donovan of Ft Lauderdale, FL. The photogenic trotter owns a 10-2-1 record in 16 lifetime starts and she boasts a bankroll that stands at $354,196.
To view results for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday Results – Meadowlands Racetrack.