Kindergarten In Session On Friday

The final stretch of the Meadowlands Championship Meet gets underway Friday (July 24) with five divisions of the Kindergarten Series for freshman trotters.

The first of three divisions for the boys opens the twelve-race program. Taco Tuesday draws morning-line favouritism for trainer Frank Antonacci and driver Tim Tetrick. The Cantab Hall colt makes his pari-mutuel debut off a trio of qualifying wins, the last of which came by nearly ten lengths in 1:58.1.

Pick Up The Tab also makes his pari-mutuel debut. He was a $220,000 Lexington Select yearling and a full brother to millionaire Uncle Peter.

The second division for the colts and geldings is the second race and includes a pair of promising youngsters that competed in the New Jersey Sire Stakes. Waitlifter K finished fourth in the $100,000 Final while Jack Vernon was sixth after winning one of the preliminary legs.

The high-priced Winter Harbor leads the third and final male division in race four. Brittany Farms, John Cancelliere, Jeff Gural’s Little E, and Winter Harbor Partners own the Muscle Hill colt that cost $240,000 at Lexington. He makes his pari-mutuel debut for Tony Alagna off a pair of eye-catching qualifying wins.

Scott Zeron has the drive. Among his rivals is $320,000 Lexington yearling, The Perfect Lindy, whose family includes last year’s Hambletonian winner, Trixton.

The two filly divisions begin in race nine. Jimmy Takter sends out morning line favorite Hollywood Hill, who won a preliminary leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes in 1:56.2 before finishing fifth in the final last week.

An overflow field of eleven will contest the second division for fillies in race eleven. Takter has the favourite here as well with Twice Is Right, a Donato Hanover filly who was third last out in a PA Sire Stakes. Julie Miller sends out Hustle Heart, a Credit Winner daughter of the great Creamy Mimi, who has tuned up for her pari-mutuel debut with a pair of wins in qualifiers.

Friday’s program also includes an Open Trot featuring Market Share and the East Coast return of Indiana star Natural Herbie, who is preparing to contest the John Cashman Memorial on Hambletonian Day. His owner/trainer/driver, Verlin Yoder, will be the 'In The Sulky' guest on the Meadowlands pre-race show beginning at 6:45 p.m.

The last race Jackpot Super High Five carryover has grown to more than $208,000.

Post time is set for 7:15 p.m.

(Meadowlands)

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