Babies Battle In NJSS At The Meadowlands
There were five NJSS divisions on tap at The Meadowlands on Thursday evening, with rookie trotting and pacing colts and geldings taking centre stage.
Allamerican Improv, who paced to a 1:56 win in last week's debut, is now perfect in his first two starts following a 1:54.1 career-best clocking in his $33,000 tilt for trainer Jim Graham and driver John Campbell.
The son of Artiscape, who was sent off as the 8-5 choice, rallied home in :27.2 to post the victory over runner-up Vintage Master (Ron Pierce) and third-place finisher Essential Signs (David Miller).
The colt, who was a $7,500 bargain buy at the NJ Classic Yearling Sale, is owned by Graham and New York partners Ronald Viola and David Venniro.
Dial Or Nodial used a :26.3 final quarter to take his $33,000 NJSS division in a sparkling time of 1:53.4 for trainer Jim Campbell and driver Brian Sears.
The homebred son of Western Ideal, who was making his first lifetime start for owners Arlene & Jules Siegel of New Hope, PA, defeated runner-up Champs Folly (Andy Miller) and third-place finisher Lifesong (Tim Tetrick), who was sent off as the 6-5 favourite.
Drop Red gave driver Brian Sears back-to-back wins in the NJSS thanks to his 1:54.3 triumph in the third division for pacing colts.
The son of Red River Hanover, who was sent off as the 3-5 favourite, used off-the-pace tactics to post the win for owner/trainer Bob Horowitz of Basking Ridge, New Jersey.
The colt, who was purchased for $14,000 at last year's Harrisburg Yearling Sale, defeated runner-up Mcardles Star (David Miller) and Promiscuous (Andy Miller) en route to the maiden-breaking decision.
Homer J, who was part of a heavily favoured four-horse entry, delivered as the 3-5 choice in the opening split for the trotters. He halted the teletimer in 1:58.4 for driver David Miller.
The Muscles Yankee youngster rallied for the narrow victory over second-place finisher Muscle Hill (Brian Sears). Keystone Thomas (Eric Goodell) rounded out the top three.
Trained by Ray Schnittker, who co-owns the trotter with fellow New Yorkers, Steven Arnold, David Pepin and the Arden Homestead Stable, Homer J bumped his bankroll to $24,722 with the win. The colt was a $65,000 purchase at last year's Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
Vacation Day front-stepped his way to a 1:59 in his $39,750 trotting assignment for the duo of trainer Larry Remmen and driver John Campbell.
The son of Dream Vacation sliced out splits of :29.4, 1:00 and 1:31 before rolling home in :28-seconds to defeat runner-up Caviar Volo (Jan Johnson) and Meyer Winsky (Tim Tetrick), who rounded out the top three.
John Lichtenberger of North Bergen and Ray Remmen of East Rutherford, New Jersey share ownership on the colt, who was purchased for $30,000 at last year's Lexington Select Yearling Sale.
To view Thursday's results, click here.