The opening leg of the Horse & Groom Series kicked off at the Meadowlands on Sunday afternoon, with a trio of $20,000 divisions on tap for the trotters

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Looking Hanover drew first blood in the series thanks to his 1:54.4 score in the opening division for the tandem of driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Edwin Gannon, Jr. The five-year-old son of Muscles Yankee hauled down pacesetter Celebrity Playboy in the closing strides. OSS graduate Shoeless White Sox closed well to finish third.

Gingras shares ownership on the gelding with Dawn Marie Gannon of Dover, Delaware. It was the first win of the season and the 12th lifetime tally for the career winner of $227,441.

Jaavos Boy dug in late to fend off a determined challenger to take home top prize in the second split for driver George Brennan and trainer George “Buzzy” Sholty. The four-year-old son of S Js Photo brushed to the top shortly past the quarter pole before laying down middle fractions of :58.2 and 1:28.2. He was forced to turn back the tenacious Hurrikanebiggeorge, who finished a lapped-on second in 1:55.4. The Shepherd rounded out the top three.

Owned by Inc J M L Stables of Heathrow, Florida, Jaavos Boy picked up third win of the 2010 campaign in just six tries while boosting his overall earnings to $91,978.

Impel Hanover went coast-to-coast in the final division for driver George Brennan, who successfully sliced out splits of :28.2, :58 and 1:27 before rattling home in :27.4 en route to the 1:54.4 decision with the five-year-old son of Andover Hall. He held on to win by three-quarters of a length over the tandem of The Chancellor and Hot Shot Blue Chip who dead-heated for the runner-up award.

Trained by James Atkinson, who shares ownership on the 11-time winner with Carol Atkinson of Georgetown, Delaware, Impel Hanover pushed his career bankroll to $129,764 with the victory.

Round two of the series goes next Sunday at the Meadowlands, with the $96,000 (est.) final scheduled for Sunday, March 21.

To view Sunday's results, click here.