What The Hill reinforced his standing as a big-time Hambletonian contender, reporting home a dominant winner as the New Jersey Sire Stakes took center stage with four $20,000 second-leg events Friday night (May 26) at The Meadowlands.

The son of 2009 Hambo champ Muscle Hill won his NJSS dash for three-year-old colts and geldings on the trot with ease to stay unbeaten in three starts this year. The Ron Burke trainee exploded clear of the field at the five-eighths and went on to a four and three-quarter-length win in 1:53. King On The Hill was second with New Jersey Viking third.

As the 1-9 public choice, What The Hill returned $2.20 to win.

“He was a little bit rambunctious,” said Burke. “He took off [at the five-eighths] on his own. He needs to do a little bit less of that. He needs to relax a little bit more. We’re going to open his bridle up and [driver] David [Miller] will make more of a conscious effort [to calm him down].”

Burke is upbeat about what he is seeing with the Hambletonian a little more than two months away.

“This horse, he seems to get better and better every time he gets behind the gate," he said.

In other NJSS action, Every Way Out ($2.10 to win) scored in the three-year-old colt and gelding pace by seven and three-quarter lengths in 1:52.3 for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Dylan Davis; Colorful Jasmine ($2.60) took the three-year-old filly pace by three lengths in 1:52.3 for Corey Callahan and Thomas Cancelliere; while Ice Attraction ($17.20) was the only non-favourite to win a NJSS event on the card as she scored by one and a half lengths in 1:54.2 in the three-year-old filly trot for Andrew McCarthy and Ake Svanstedt.

A LITTLE MORE: David Miller, Callahan and Scott Zeron all had driving doubles on the program. … All-source wagering totalled $2,223,336. … Racing resumes Saturday at 7:15 p.m.

(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)