Odds-on favourite and millionaire Maryland stayed resolute under an intense far-turn blitz and emerged a 1:53.4 winner in the $240,694 Kindergarten Series final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, one of four Kindergarten finals contested on Saturday, Nov. 9 at The Meadowlands.

Leaving from post two, driver Dexter Dunn floated Maryland into a gap to race fourth to a :28.2 first quarter and waited to make his move. With the tempo slowing to the backside, Dunn pulled from the pylons and punched forward to seize the lead after a :58.1 half.

Monserrate, tracking Maryland’s sweep, stayed aggressive on the rim for driver David Miller and pushed to eye Maryland through the turn. The pair motored in lockstep past three-quarters in 1:26.2 and stayed sparring on the spin for home. Monserrate downed Maryland by a head early stretch, but Dunn simply raised the whip and held snug lines on his charge in the battle to the finish. Maryland repelled Monserrate and edged away to a half-length win with Durante Hanover (Todd McCarthy), off a ground-saving trip, finishing third and Uno closing from near last for Anibal Borjas for fourth.

“He fights horses off; he’s a real racehorse,” said Dunn after the race. “He showed his quality in his last two starts – the Breeders Crown and tonight – a will to win. It’s a great quality to have in a champion horse.

“Dave's horse [Monserrate] put up a great fight,” Dunn also said. “My fella, he knew how to win and he wanted to win. I just wanted to get around that last turn safely, but he showed why he’s a champion trotting colt this year.”

A colt by Chapter Seven out of the Father Patrick mare Crucial, Maryland competes for owners Courant Inc., PCW Racing, Holly Lane Stud East Ltd., and S. Stewart R. Thorn Stable. He has now won six races from nine starts and banked $1,675,698, placing him above T C I’s $1.45 million single-season earnings record for two-year-old trotting colts.

Sent off as the 1-9 favourite, Maryland paid $2.20 to win.

Papis Pistol takes aim in Kindergarten conquest

Following a lifetime-best 1:49.3 score in his final Kindergarten Series preliminary a week ago, Papis Pistol proved every bit as dominant in Saturday's $206,250 Kindergarten final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings at The Meadowlands with a facile 1:50.3 victory.

Driver Andy Miller was content to let the Papi Rob Hanover-Bang Bang colt settle just off the front flight in the race's early stages, floating into a four-hole tuck as Tom Horn (David Miller) led early before yielding to Manolete (Scott Zeron) just beyond a :27 first quarter. Papis Pistol got the green light from Miller with five-eighths to go, and he brushed authoritatively to the fore approaching the :55.3 half and maintained an uncontested lead through the far turn.

"I was letting him settle a little bit, and then I moved him up the backside," said Miller of his early strategy. "He just cruised along; he was well within himself finishing, too."

After hitting three-quarters in 1:23.1 without a threat in sight and the first-over Attaboychet stalled off the home turn, Papis Pistol kicked clear of Manolete in upper stretch and widened his lead to three lengths at the winning post while in hand. Manolete, sent off as the 3-1 second choice, was a no-match second to the 1-5 favourite. Early leader Tom Horn finished third.

"I think [Zeron, with Manolete] was willing to take the best trip and take a shot at me in the lane," continued Miller. "But my horse was really strong... I was letting him pace through there. Nobody was getting to my wheel, so I let him go where he was comfortable."

Sam DePinto trains Papis Pistol for Shannon DePinto, Chris Arvanitis and Anthony Perretti. Now a four-time winner from 13 starts, Papis Pistol increased his career earnings to $214,473 with the Kindergarten championship. He paid $2.60 to win.

Champagne Problems rolls to Kindergarten score

Champagne Problems had some issues on the final turn, but driver Dexter Dunn steered the favourite clear of traffic and the Tactical Landing-Miss Caviar filly rolled home powerfully to capture the $338,056 Kindergarten Series final for female freshman trotters at The Meadowlands on Saturday night in a 1:53.2 mile.

Dunn had the 3-5 favourite leaving from post seven, but she had company to her inside at the outset with Voguish and Todd McCarthy gaining the front into the first turn and forcing Myonlylove (David Miller) into the pocket behind her. McCarthy parked the favourite past the :29.1 opening quarter before yielding the front.

My Honor and driver Åke Svanstedt were parked nearly to race's midpoint, but they eventually passed Champagne Problems before the :57.2 half-mile marker. The complexion of the race changed in an instant as Voguish made an all-out brush form third past the half to secure the lead and hopefully leave the favourite and the other eight rivals in the dust.

With Voguish going past the three-quarters in 1:25.2, she left R Dutchess and Corey Callahan uncovered. But when Sonmar Pond (Yannick Gingras) couldn’t keep up with that cover, an opening came for Dunn, and he was able to steer Champagne Problems off the pylons and angle wide coming into the homestretch.

Voguish tried to maintain her advantage, but by mid-stretch, it was apparent that Champagne Problems had her collared, with Dunn having pulled the earplugs and gotten the response he expected, winning by 1-3/4 lengths. The Nancy Takter-trained filly won quite handily with R Dutchess getting up late for the second spot. Voguish was active most of the mile and weakened late to finish third. R Charm rallied from the back for fourth.

For Champagne Problems, this was her seventh win in 11 starts in her first year on the racetrack. The victory propelled her career earnings to $678,116 and gave her free entry into the Goldsmith Maid final. Owned by Rojan Stables, Family Business, Patrick Hoopes and Caviart Farms, Champagne Problems returned $3.20 as the public choice.

“She put her head down and did her job,” said Takter, relieved that Champagne Problems was able to get a clear lane in the homestretch.

As for another race (the Goldsmith Maid on Nov. 30) before the stakes season ends, Takter said, “As long as she’s healthy, we will be there.”

Rodeo Drive Deo scurries late to win Kindergarten Filly Pace

With a four-wide sweep in the stretch, Rodeo Drive Deo, with David Miller at the reins, won the $229,167 Kindergarten Series final for two-year-old pacing fillies in 1:50.3.

Miller sat strong favourite Rodeo Drive Deo cold off the gate as Shes A Streaker (Gingras) and Duration (Todd McCarthy) dashed for the early lead. Behind them Youllfindout (George Brennan) broke stride and Chakra (Anibal Borjas) took over the third spot. Rodeo Drive Deo was fifth in line through the :27.3 first panel while Champagne Room (Andy McCarthy) soon rolled out of fourth and brushed to the lead entering the backstretch.

Chakra left the cones aiming to take the lead, but hanged while second choice Champagne Room showed muscle at the :54.3 half and dismissed all the early competition. Shes A Streaker tried to move boldly with a three-wide move at three quarters in 1:22.2 and Rodeo Drive Deo loomed widest of all from a third-over trip. Full of pace, Rodeo Drive Deo had enough to easily go by her peers and win by two lengths at the beam. Simply Perfect (Dunn) followed the winner to be second and Duration got third. Ronstadt (Scott Zeron) stayed at the pylons and zipped through for fourth.

Rodeo Drive Deo is a daughter of Captaintreacherous from the Bettors Delight mare Miss L A. She won her fourth race from 10 starts and has now earned $429,064 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Beasty LLC, J & T Silva and Purnel & Libby.

After the race, co-owner Jerry Silva said,  "I think that she's got the speed and the physical ability to become a great three-year-old. That's what I'm looking for."

Asked if he was confident about the filly's chances, he said, "You're never confident in a race until you win it. When you win it, you celebrate. That's the way it is. That's the business. I didn't expect her to come from where she came back from. If they have it in them, they make it happen. If they don't have it in them, they just don't have it."

Cool Cat Racing and Deo Volente Farms LLC bred the filly. She paid $3.20 to win.

KINDERGARTEN CONSOLATIONS: In the $76,388 Kindergarten consolation for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters, Net Weight made his third lifetime start a winning one, coming from off the pace to gun down 1-5 favourite Yannick G Kemp as the 2-1 second choice in 1:56.4. The son of Muscle Hill-Air Quote Hanover was driven by Johnathan Ahle and trained by Noel Daley.

Papis Rocket nipped 2-5 public choice Railroad Station in the $66,250 Kindergarten consolation for two-year-old colts and geldings on the pace in 1:52.1. The 6-5 second choice, a son of Papi Rob Hanover-Real Touch, was piloted by Yannick Gingras and trained by Ron Burke.

A LITTLE MORE: Dave Miller led the driver colony with three winners on the card. … Burke led the conditioners with a training triple. … There is one huge night of racing left on The Big M’s 2024 calendar, as an estimated $2.65 million USD will be up for grabs on Fall Final Four/FanDuel Championships Night on Saturday, Nov. 30. … All-source handle totalled $2,633,487 USD on the 14-race program. … Racing resumes on Friday at 6:20 p.m.

(Meadowlands Racetrack)