While much of the attention for the Saturday qualifying session at The Meadowlands went to the debuting two-year-olds, the first qualifier of the day featured sophomore pacers — including Perfect Sting, returning to the track after his first career loss and a sick scratch from his latest scheduled start.

With regular pilot Dave Miller at the controls, Perfect Sting opened up the day’s activities with a sharp 1:48.4 conditioning mile in the session opener. Miller put him on the front through fractions of :27.2, :55:3 and 1:22.4 before a :26 sprint home under minimal urging.

Joe Holloway trains the 2020 Dan Patch award winning sophomore for Brittany Farms and Val D’Or Farms. Hot Mess Express was a comfortable second under no encouragement by Andy McCarthy and Summa Cum Laude (Dexter Dunn) third.

Saturday signaled the start of the 2021 Breakfast With The Babies two-year-old qualifying sessions on a perfect morning, with the temperature in the low 70’s °F / low 20's °C and virtually no wind. To read more about the two-year-olds, click the following link: Breakfast With The Babies Returns.

The Meadowlands is in big business today with the Belmont Stakes on simulcast and the Graduate series for both trotters and pacers headling the live card. First post is 6:20 p.m.

(with files from The Meadowlands)