The 2024 Championship Meet at The Meadowlands doesn't technically refer to the star power in the qualifying sessions, but the slate of individuals in action on the morning of Friday, May 3 at the Big M offered a sign of things to come.

A 15-dash offering included O'Brien Award winners, Dan Patch Award winners, notable returning older stars and fast freshmen looking to step up as 2024 sophomores.

The first notable winning qualifier of the morning was 2023 O'Brien Award and Mohawk Million winner T C I. After a :28.2 opening quarter and :57.3 half, Dave Miller popped pocket with T C I on Bright Star (Scott Zeron) heading to the third station. Clearing to the top through that 1:27.1 third quarter, T C I trotted home in :27 to trip the timer in 1:54.1. Bright Star came back on to finish second, three parts of a length in arrears.

Trained by Ron Burke, T C I (Cantab Hall - Nicoles Promise) is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc., and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. In 12 rookie appearances, T C I posted a sensational 10-2-0 summary with more than $1.45 million in earnings.

Abuckabett Hanover (David Miller) logged the fastest mile of the morning, collaring pacesetter Ruthless Hanover (Andrew McCarthy) after fractions of :28, :56.4 and 1:24.4 and holding off Seven Colors (Dexter Dunn) in a time of 1:50.4. 

The 2023 Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational winner, Abuckabett Hanover (Betting Line - All Tucked Up) is a winner of 15 races with more than $1.3 million in earnings and a mark of 1:47.2 taken in that Mohawk Gold Cup score. Andrew Harris trains and co-owns the six-year-old sidewheeler with Bill Pollack and Bruce Areman.

Pacing mares were showcased in the very next dash, and Twin B Joe Fresh showed she's ready for action with a solid second effort of the season. Sitting pocket to Odds On Hail Mary (Scott Zeron) through splits of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:25.1, Twin B Joe Fresh and Dexter Dunn powered home in :26 for the 1:51.2 decision. Odds On Hail Mary stayed for second, back more than two lengths.

With a stellar summary of 19-5-1 from 27 career appearances while boasting sub-1:49 wins at two (1:48.4) and three (1:48.2), Twin B Joe Fresh (Roll With Joe - Fresh Breeze) looks to continue that fine form into her four-year-old season for trainer and co-owner Chris Ryder, driver and co-owner Dunn and co-owners Barry Spak and Pete Trebotica. Ryder was likely also keeping tabs on another set qualifiers on Friday morning, especially one that didn't involve his winner of more than $1.45 million.

An O'Brien Award finalist in 2022, Winners Bet made his debut for trainer Nancy Takter on Friday morning, and the son of Walner - Side Bet Hanover was more than impressive in his wire-to-wire 1:52.3 victory for driver Dunn. Winners Bet held off 2023 Dan Patch Award winner Jiggy Jog S (Sarah Svanstedt) by a half length in a dash that also included 2022 Mohawk Million winner Oh Well and 2023 Breeders Crown winner Southwind Tyrion.

Owned by Lindy Farms of Connecticut and Robert Rudolph, Winners Bet sports a 6-5-1 summary from 20 starts with a 1:51 record and more than $712,000 in earnings.

Gem Quality closed from off the pace to win his 2024 qualifying debut one week ago, and his second effort of the season was very similar. Gem Quality sat second to Sir John B (Andy McCarthy) this time around through panels of :28.2, :57.4 and 1:26.3. Sprinting to the wire in :26, Gem Quality bested a noble Sir John B by half a length in 1:52.4.

The 2023 Breeders Crown winner in the two-year-old pacing colt division,  Gem Quality (Captain Crunch - Twinkle) banked $442,710 as a rookie for Ontario's Brad Grant, Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing and Enviro Stables Ltd. He's a four-time winner in his career, sporting a 1:50 speed badge.

(Standardbred Canada)