River Shark wore down the well-rated leader Meirs Hanover in the final strides for a 1:50 victory in the $50,000 Invitational Pace on Saturday night at the Meadowlands

Racetrack.

Brian Sears steered the six-year-old gelding to his sixth win in 17 starts this season and 27th victory overall. River Shark, a son of Four Starzzz Shark, improved his earnings to $871,107 for trainer Mark Ford and co-owners Vip Internet Stable and Robert Di Nozzi. We Will See, making his 2012 debut, finished third.

Pepsi North America Cup and Meadowlands Pace hopefuls A Rocknroll Dance, I Fought Dalaw and Time To Roll got their sophomore campaigns off to winning starts in the first round of New Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts.

A Rocknroll Dance pressured the leader into submission at the head of the stretch and drew off to a four and a half length victory in the first of the three $17,000 splits. He was clocked in 1:50.1 under the guidance of Yannick Gingras.

A Rocknroll Dance had a prolific campaign as a two-year-old last year, earning $858,961 and winning seven of 11 starts. He took a mark of 1:49.1 in a Metro elimination and ended his campaign with a victory in the $510,000 Governor’s Cup final at Chester. Jim Mullinix trains and co-owns the son of Rocknroll Hanover-Wichita Hanover, a modest $15,000 yearling purchase, with partners Denny Miller and Teresa and Jerry Silva.

I Fought Dalaw and David Miller prevailed over Mortal Zin after a sustained battle to the wire in the second division. The defending NJSS champion paced a career-best 1:50.2 mile.

Trained by Sam De Pinto, I Fought Dalaw won four of 10 starts and $209,959 last season. The son of Western Ideal–In For Life was a $22,000 yearling buy at the Lexington Selected Sale. De Pinto’s wife, Shannon, shares ownership of I Fought Dalaw with Teresa and Jerry Silva and Michael Parisi.

The lightly raced Time To Roll took the final NJSS colts division over Pet Rock in 1:50.4. Ron Pierce reined the blue-blooded son of Rocknroll Hanover-Kikikatie to his second win in four career starts for trainer Jimmy Takter and Ontario owner-breeder Lothlorien (Susan Grange).

All three NJSS winners are eligible to the $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup and set for Saturday, June 16 and the $800,000 Meadowlands Pace on Saturday, July 14.

After falling short in the Simpson last out, Pirouette Hanover danced to a 1:50.3 victory in the first of two NJSS divisions for fillies. Ron Pierce guided the daughter of Western Ideal-Paulas Best to her fourth career win for trainer Ed Hart and owner Jeff Snyder. Pirouette Hanover banked $530,578 and won the Sweetheart final at the Meadowlands during her freshman campaign last year.

Rockaround Sue charged late to take the second fillies split in 1:53 for driver Brian Sears and trainer Tony Alagna. Alagna shares ownership of the daughter of Rocknroll Hanover-Promysquous with Ontario's Uncirculated Stable and Alan Alber.

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Meadowlands Racetrack.

(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)