The middle of the dozen qualifiers contested at The Meadowlands on Saturday, April 19 featured a number of notable performers preparing for what their connections hope is a lucrative stakes season.

Having said that, we'd be lying if we didn't think that Sir Pinocchio's mile in the opener wasn't impressive. Making his first qualifying appearance at The Big M after an eye-catching 1:55.2 qualifier at Pocono on April 9, the four-year-old son of Mets Hall - Lady Cromwell did all the work for driver Jason Bartlett in his Saturday appearance, winning wire to wire in 1:54.2 — back half in :55 — to best Secret Agent Man (Andy Miller) by nearly two lengths.

Ed Hart trains the Carolyn Atherton-owned homebred, a winner of $925,134 in his career. The 2024 New York Sire Stakes champ capped his sophomore season with a Grand Circuit win in the Matron Stakes, one of his 13 career victories.

After the dust settled, El Rey clocked the fastest mile of the morning session, making his return to the track in the fifth qualifier after a four-month hiatus. The five-year-old son of Captaintreacherous - Mystery Game made every call a winning one for driver Todd McCarthy against his five rivals, stopping the clock in 1:51.1. The accomplished Bythemissal (Yannick Gingras) closed with authority to finish second by a scant neck, with Spring Inhis Step A (Tim Tetrick) a length in arrears.

Andrew Harris trains El Rey, an 11-time winner with nearly $940,000 in earnings, and co-owns with Bill Pollock and Bruce Areman of Freehold, N.J.

Rodeo Drive Deo didn't finish worse than fourth in her freshman season, compiling a record of 4-4-1-2 while banking more than $543,000 for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC of Fredericktown, Pa., Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg, Pa., Beasty LLC of, Las Vegas, Nev. and Jandt Silva-Purnel And Libby of Ocean Ridge, Fl. In two qualifiers this year, the daughter of Captaintreacherous - Miss L A hit the wire first on both occasions.

Popping the pocket for driver David Miller after sitting second behind pacesetter Bequeath (Scott Zeron), Rodeo Drive Deo powered home in :26.2 for the 1:53.3 decision. Finishing second — and an impressive second at that — was 2024 Dan Patch Award winner Miki And Minnie, making her sophomore debut. She closed in :26 with powerful and effortless strides.

With two 2025 Pepsi North America Cup eligibles from the Burke Brigade — Swingtown and Sippinonsearoc — skipping the Saturday qualifying session, a pair of their stablemates showed serious speed.

Perhaps fittingly, Railroad Station had the steam whistle blowing during his Saturday test for driver David Miller in a 1:52.2 on-the-engine tally. After fractions of :29.4, :58.4 and 1:26.3, Railroad Station chugged home in :25.4 to best stablemate Papis Rocket (Tetrick) by nearly four lengths. Power Code (Bartlett) completed the top trio.

Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Jandt Silva-Purnel And Libby and Ohio's Hatfield Stables hold the papers on Railroad Station (Sweet Lou - Rodeo Rosie), a winner of nearly $240,000 during his 14-start rookie season with 10 top-three appearances. He is not eligible to the Pepsi North America Cup.

Full qualifying results for the Saturday session are available here.

(Standardbred Canada)