Trix And Stones Treks Into Valley Victory

After winning his elimination for the Valley Victory Stakes last week, Trix And Stones will try to close his season with a victory in the $435,900 final for two-year-old male trotters at The Meadowlands on Saturday, Nov. 24. The Carl Jamieson-trained colt, who passed through the Lexington Selected Mixed Sale auction ring in October but was bought back by Jamieson, is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line.

Trix And Stones is a son of Trixton out of Baby Bella and a half-brother to stakes-winners Buen Camino and Victors Future. He was purchased as a yearling for $45,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale. For the season, Trix And Stones has won two of 13 races, hit the board a total of seven times, and earned $114,262.

“He’s been doing a pretty good job for us,” said Jamieson, who owns the colt with Joanne Morrison and Robert Boyce. “I’m really happy with him. He’s good mannered and clean gaited; he’s really good that way. For a colt, he’s very quiet and easy to handle. He’s just a nice horse.”

Trix And Stones began his career in the New Jersey Sire Stakes series and finished second to Greenshoe in the championship. His first win came in a conditioned race at Woodbine Mohawk Park and was followed by second-place finishes in divisions of the Bluegrass and International Stallion stakes at Lexington’s Red Mile.

After going through the mixed sale, Trix And Stones finished fourth in his Breeders Crown elimination to advance to the final, where he finished seventh but was found to be sick.

“I had him in the sale but he didn’t bring his reserve so I bought him back for $190,000,” Jamieson said. “I don’t mind selling and taking the money, but I’m not going to give them away when I’ve got a good horse. He’s paid up to the Hambletonian next year and it looks like he’s racing with the best here and staying with them, so he should be all right. I think he will make a heck of a three-year-old.”

Last week, Trix And Stones led from gate to wire, beating Southwind Avenger by three-quarters of a length in 1:55.1 with Scott Zeron in the sulky. Zeron and Trix And Stones will leave from post six in Saturday’s final.

“He raced excellent the other night and it looks like we have a good shot on Saturday,” Jamieson said. “We need a little luck, but I think he’s as good as any of them in there.”

Seven Hills, with Corey Callahan driving for trainer John Butenschoen, is the 3-1 morning-line favourite in the Valley Victory. Seven Hills finished second in his elimination, which was won by Chin Chin Hall in 1:54.4. Chin Chin Hall, with Peter Wrenn driving for Melanie Wrenn, is 9-2 on the morning line.

The Valley Victory is one of the Fall Final Four stakes for 2-year-olds at the Big M on Saturday. Captain Crunch is the morning-line favourite in the $469,300 Governor’s Cup for male pacers, Warrawee Ubeaut is the favourite in the $391,250 Three Diamonds for female pacers and Sonnet Grace gets the nod in the $490,000 Goldsmith Maid for female trotters.

Also on Saturday the Meadowlands hosts four finals for the TVG Series and welcomes soon-to-be-retired 14-year-old Foiled Again, harness racing’s all-time richest horse, for an invitational.

Racing begins at 7:15 p.m. (EST).

(USTA)

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