The qualifiers in early May at The Meadowlands typically feature some of harness racing's top performers, and the session on Friday (May 6) was no exception.

Fast As The Wind is doing his part to live up to his name thus far, and on Friday morning over less than ideal conditions he's never been faster. Dexter Dunn guided the son of Cantab Hall to a wire-to-wire win in 1:53.1, shaving a fifth of a second off his lifetime mark. Tony Alagna trains Kindergarten and Valley Victory champ Fast As The Wind for Leblanc And Kribbs of Austin, Tex., Joe Sbrocco of Brecksville, Oh. and Joseph Barbera of Deer Park, N.Y.

North America Cup-eligible stablemate I Did It Myway actually did it the same way, with the same driver to boot. Dunn pointed the son of Captaintreacherous to the lead and the speedy sophomore did the rest. With two seconds allowed over a track rated sloppy, I Did It Myway tripped the timer in 1:51.1, the fastest mile of the nine-race session. Alagna trains for Country Club Acres Inc. of Findlay, Oh., Sbrocco, Don Latore of Moreland Hills, Oh. and Alagna And Fodera Racing of Manalapan, N.J.

In fact, Alagna trainees won six of the nine qualifiers on Friday morning. I Did It Myway might have been the most impressive, but the debuting Boudoir Hanover wasn't far behind. The daughter of Captaintreacherous sat the pocket behind Hot Mess Express through the first three stanzas then blew by her accomplished stablemate with a :26.2 closer for driver Todd McCarthy. Time of the mile was 1:51.4 for Boudoir Hanover, owned by Riverview Racing LLC of Boynton Beach, Fl., Alagna Racing LLC of Jackson, N.J., Caviart Farms of Vienna, Vi., and D Plouffe And S Head of Boynton Beach, Fl.

2021 Breeders Crown winner Joviality S showed she's ready for her sophomore campaign, moving to the lead at the request of driver Brian Sears heading for the third quarter and then powering away from her rivals with a :27 closer for a 1:53.1 decision. Marcus Melander conditions the daughter of Chapter Seven for Courant Inc.

One of the more intriguing competitors in North American harness racing this season will be older trotter Ecurie D. After two impressive starts and two impressive wins in stakes action late in 2021, the now six-year-old son of Infinitif is being pointed to a full stakes schedule here in 2022. In his debut qualifier, Ake Svanstedt guided the stallion to a 1:54.2 victory, sprinting home in :26.4, for Marko Kreivi Stables Inc, Suleyman Yuksel Stables and his Ake Svanstedt Inc. of Wrightstown, NJ