Azrael Blue Chip finished off a sweep of the New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund (NJSDF) series for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, winning the $67,606 final for his fifth consecutive victory in a non-wagering pre-card event at The Meadowlands on Saturday, Nov. 22.

Andrew McCarthy pushed the son of Perfect Sting-Bathsheba to the front in a :27.1 quarter before releasing Everlast Sting Deo (Boyd) en route to the half in :55.1. Azrael Blue Chip re-emerged before three-quarters in 1:23.2, went past Everlast Sting Deo, and hung on by a nose over the closing Mighty Matt (Jason Bartlett) for the lifetime-best 1:51 score. Everlast Sting Deo was third. 

Azrael Blue Chip, trained by Besim Odza, now has six wins from eight lifetime starts for owner CT Stables LLC.

Custom and Jim Beam were a pair of good-looking winners in two of the three NJSDF Finals for two-year-olds on the 14-race betting program.

In a case of "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it," driver Johnathan Ahle, who guided Custom to an off-the-pace victory in her lone NJSDF preliminary two weeks ago, came back and gave the daughter of Walner-Goldy Mary Fr a similar steer in the $84,507 final for trotting fillies. And he got a similar result.

Handled patiently from the outset, Custom sat fourth as Wishuponastar Deo (Jason Bartlett) and Madam Cheval (Tim Tetrick) took the field past the quarter in :28.1 and half in :56.3, respectively. Ahle activated Custom just after the five-eighths, and the Per Engblom trainee responded with speed, getting on even terms with Madam Cheval at three-quarters, which was timed in 1:25.1. Custom was now in high gear and opened up a 2-1/2-length edge at the head of the stretch before going on to a 4-1/4-length romp in a lifetime-best-equalling 1:53.2. Wishuponastar Deo was second with Julie Palema (Tyler Miller) third.

“[Custom] is pretty green,” said Ahle. “She liked racing off the pace last week, so we stuck with it this week. I think she can be a little on the hot side, so keeping her quiet early is good to do. She did it very easy. She was very good.”

As the 4-5 favourite in the field of seven, Custom returned $3.80 to her backers. The win was her third in eight career tries for Engblom Farm LLC and Thomas Lind-Holm.

Supporters of Jim Beam had plenty to celebrate after the colt captured the $84,507 final for trotting colts and geldings at 12-1, despite being sent to the gate at 2-1 in a NJSDF preliminary just two weeks ago.

Driver Tim Tetrick kept the Scott DiDomenico trainee off the early action, sitting along the rail fifth to the quarter and fourth to the half as American Power (Braxten Boyd) led at those stations in :28 and :56.4, respectively. Lindy Living (Dexter Dunn), the even-money favourite, was on the go first-over at the five-eighths. Right behind him on the rim were Tetrick and Jim Beam, getting a perfect trip, as American Power hit three-quarters in 1:26.2 with Lindy Living breathing down his neck. Lindy Living took over at the head of the lane, but Jim Beam tipped off his cover in mid-stretch and gradually kept inching his way toward the leader until he got up on the wire by a head in a lifetime-best 1:54.3. Whos Eyes Blues (Yannick Gingras) was third.

“Sometimes, [Jim Beam] gets a little hot,” said Tetrick. “Today, he was calm and relaxed. I know he has tons of talent and today he showed some of it. I was just trying to trip my horse out and I had the right horse in front of me. I got the trip I wanted and my horse did the job.”

As the fifth choice in the field of seven, Jim Beam returned $27.80. The son of Captain Corey-Melania now has won three times in 14 tries for owner Allen Wenc.

In the final NJSDF dash of the night, the $84,507 filly pace, Car Keys got a patient steer from Dunn to grab the brass ring nearing the wire in 1:52.4 for her first win in nine attempts.

Car Keys was flying early from post six in the nine-horse field and made it to the lead at the quarter in :27.3 while parking out primary foe Whoa Black Betty (Gingras), who was in search of a three-race sweep of the event. Whoa Black Betty, the 6-5 co-favourite, then continued her march to the top, reaching the lead at the three-eighths before hitting the half in :56.1.

Wave Dancer (Boyd) was now making her presence felt, rallying from well back while moving first-over, and was just behind Whoa Black Betty as that one reached three-quarters in 1:25.2. Wave Dancer kept grinding away, and actually had a slight edge in mid-stretch, but with just more than a 1/16th of a mile to go, Car Keys found enough space along the rail to sprint to the wire and draw clear by 3-1/4 lengths over Whoa Black Betty, who determinedly came back to get second. Ladysassin (Brett Beckwith) nipped Wave Dancer in the race for the show dough.

“[Car Keys] was really good tonight,” said Dunn. “She shot through [the inside] great. I think she needs to fill out and she’ll get a bit stronger.”

Car Keys is a Chris Ryder student who was sent to the gate as the 6-5 co-choice. The daughter of Always B Miki-Road Bet paid $4.60 to win. She is owned by Margaret Dey and Matthew Stolte.

Dunn led the driver colony with three wins on the night while Engblom’s double paced the trainers. An ultra-competitive card appealed to the bettors, as a total of $2,953,417 was pushed through the windows. There is no racing this Thursday, Nov. 27 on Thanksgiving Day, so live action will resume on Friday at 6:20 p.m.

(With files from The Meadowlands)