As stakes season rapidly approaches, two-year-old qualifiers go from learning experiences to serious prep work. On Tuesday, June 17, Hollywood Casino at The Meadows hosted 17 qualifiers for that specific purpose.

“To see where we are going forward," is how Brady Brown, primary driver and longtime second trainer for Steve Schoeffel, explained their use of final qualifiers. “We need to determine what’s best for them, and these races at this point of the season allow for that.”  

The Schoeffel/Brown combo on Tuesday qualified nine two-year-olds with four winners, including two sub-2:00 colts in Ur Ride Is Here and Worldly Dream.

“It’s very important,” Ronnie Wrenn Jr. stressed when asked the importance of being in attendance for two-year-old qualifiers. “Anytime I’m asked to qualify a young horse, whether here or Delaware [Ohio] for Brian Brown, I’ll happily go with them. It's important to find the young talent and develop a rapport with them.”

Wrenn piloted three winners for trainer Ron Burke including repeat winner, Shehasrealenergy. The Papi Rob Hanover filly was unfazed by the sloppy going to sprint home in :27.1 for the 1:57.1 victory.

Following Thai Hanover’s second and Quill Gordons third-place finishes, respectively, driver Jeremy Indof said that today was about putting the “finishing touches” on the two Stay Hungry freshmen. 

“With stakes season right around the corner, Mitch wants his colts to be as race ready as possible, and now he and I are both excited about the season ahead,” concluded Indof.

On Saturday evening at Mohawk, Louprint and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. took the 2025 edition of the North America Cup. 

“Very special,” Wrenn said before the start of qualifiers. “Believing all along that he was capable of a performance like that and then deliver on that stage, really special.”

For the day, Ron Burke had five winners from 28 starters, which gave him top training honours while Brady Brown’s four Steve Schoeffel-trained winners gave him driving honours.

The Meadows will resume live racing on Wednesday, June 18 with 12-race card and first race post at 12:45 p.m.

(With files from The MSOA)