The big guns are beginning to show up at The Meadowlands for qualifiers and there were more than a few Grand Circuit stars of last year sprinkled throughout Saturday morning’s card.

Under overcast skies at 54°F with a slight headwind facing competitors in the stretch, things got underway right on time at 10:00 a.m.

Hambletonian winter book favourite Walner got things off to a grand beginning by looking good in a training mile around 2:00 before the races with his driver Tim Tetrick in the bike. He certainly is an imposing presence.

Last year’s top pacing colt Huntsville (Tetrick) made his return to racing and was a workman like 1:53.2 (:26.3 final quarter) winner from just off the pace in race ten. Tetrick held him in third through comfortable fractions, followed up when Brett Miller moved The Wall from the pocket to engage, then put away the leader and required minimal encouragement to edge by that willing rival late. Ray Schnittker trains Huntsville, the #1 selection in the Trot 2017 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book, and owns the colt in partnership with Gewertz, Iannozzo and Arnold.

"He went good," Schnittker told Harness Racing Communications. "There were no disasters, so that’s good. We put an open bridle on him and he got along pretty well with that, so I was very happy for his first start. I trained him last week out here and he was very good too. He’ll have another qualifier next week and then off to The Meadows (for the first leg of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes on May 6). He goes to The Meadows, then Pocono and then the North America Cup."

Hannelore Hanover (Gingras) looked as good as a horse can look for the second time this spring, trotting away from JL Cruze (John Campbell) and Broadway Donna (David Miller) in a :27.1 final stanza on the end of a 1:54 flat mile in race six for older trotters.

"She was really, really good. I couldn’t be happier with her," Gingras told HRC. "She’s been driving perfectly, two fingers, and had plenty of trot. She’s a lot sounder, perfectly gaited. Last year it would take her maybe a sixteenth of a mile to get going sometimes, but now she’s been perfect. I hope (it’s a big year). I’m looking forward to it, that’s for sure."

Hannelore Hanover was also Ron Burke’s fifth consecutive winner of the morning.

Sophomore trotting fillies opened the day with Myammie Drama (Tim Tetrick/Ron Burke) holding Princess Aurora (Yannick Gingras/Jimmy Tatkter) at bay through a :27.4 end to a mile in 1:58.2 in the second race.

Several Grand Circuit winners met in the third and Sianna Hanover (Gingras) was an easy front end winner for Ron Burke’s barn in 1:55.2, her second impressive effort of the spring. Amber Ella (John Campbell), another nice looking Chapter Seven from Linda Toscano’s barn was a comfortable second and Goldsmith Maid winner Magic Presto (Brian Sears) was a closing third after being reserved toward the rear for much of the race in her first appearance of the season.

Trotting colts came around in the fourth and last year’s NJSS champ What The Hill (David Miller) scored a closing win in 1:55.3 in his second solid showing of the young season. Explosive Ridge (Marcus Johansson) went well, cutting the mile before giving way to the winner just near the wire.

Both Sianna Hanover and What The Hill are owned by Burke Racing with partners Our Horse Cents and J&T Silva. Deo Volente joins the group on What The Hill.

After a training break, three-year-old filly pacers came on to the track and last year’s Breeders Crown and Kindergarten final winner Someomensomewhere made her first appearance for new connections. Adam Bowden’s Diamond Creek Farms and Bob Boni have possession and placed her in Jimmy Takter’s barn. On this day Someomensomewhere followed another Takter trainee, Somesleazetoplease (Brett Miller) around the racetrack to be second with something in reserve for Tim Tetrick in 1:54.4.

Last year’s Dan Patch and O'Brien division winner Idyllic Beach (Gingras) and her Three Diamonds conqueror Thats The Ticket (D. Miller) met in the eighth race. Both were reserved off the early pace and finished strong into a :27.4 final quarter with Thats The Ticket getting a bit of a jump on her chief rival and prevailing in 1:54.4. Chris Ryder trains the winner.

Boogie Shuffle (Scott Zeron) was not a marquee name among pacing colts last season, but he was second in Downbytheseaside’s world record equaling 1:49 at The Red Mile and was stakes placed on several other occasions. He has returned well for trainer Mark Harder, cutting the 1:51.4 mile this morning while drawing away from some pretty good colts.

Blood Line (Mark MacDonald) was a winner for the Takter stable closing stoutly into a 26.4 end to a 1:53.1 mile to nip Western Joe (Gingras) and Summer Side (Schnittker).

The day’s fastest mile came when a really good bunch of four-year-old pacing horses gathered for race eleven. Lyons Snyder flashed his customary aggressive style and speed, dragging Dave Miller to the front and setting lively fractions while being tracked by the undefeated scourge of the Maine state-bred program Seeley Man (Brett Miller) and major stakes winner Western Fame (MacDonald). As they straightened up for home off the 1:22.2 three quarters, Boston Red Rocks (Tetrick) joined the fray from mid-pack and was charging the widest as Western Fame moved inside Lyons Snyder and that pair hit the wire together. Boston Red Rocks emerged victorious by a nose.

The four-year-old mares were the last to go with last season’s bitter rivals Pure Country and Darlinonthebeach picking up just where they left off, right next to each other in posts five and six. On this occasion however, it was Blue Moon Stride, emerging form the considerable shadow of the aforementioned mares to cut the mile and hold that pair off in 1:51.4 for driver Andy McCarthy and trainer Mark Harder. Pure Country, Darlinonthebeach and Rock Me Baby followed her in.

It was the first outing of 2017 for Pure Country, a back-to-back Dan Patch Award winner for owner Diamond Creek Racing, trainer Jimmy Takter and driver Brett Miller.

"She was very good," said Miller. "She went with an open bridle today and she’s always way more relaxed with the open bridle. When they put the cups on her, she knows it’s game time. So for her to go that fast and be that good with an open bridle, she feels good."

With major Grand Circuit stakes such as the Cutler Memorial FFA Trot and Graduate Pace for four-year-olds now on the horizon the fun is just getting started.

For the full results from the Saturday qualifiers, click the following link: Saturday Qualifiers - The Meadowlands.

(with files from The Meadowlands)