The $25,000 Open I Handicap Trot was the featured event on the Friday night program at The Meadowlands.
A highly competitive field of nine went to the gate, with Lindys Tru Grit a slight 2-1 favourite at post time.
There was plenty of speed off the gate as Uva Hanover, Opulent Yankee and Somebody As all left for position. Only two of those remained trotting after the first quarter as Opulent Yankee went off-stride on the first turn. Somebody As grabbed the racetrack through a :26.4 sharp opening quarter. Uva Hanover was content to sit the pocket behind the leader through a :55.2 half-mile. On the far turn, Lindys Tru Grit, who was stalking the leaders, made his move for the lead, which he reached past three-quarters in 1:24. It was his race to lose in the stretch, but Uva Hanover was guided off the pylons and began to reel in the favourite. Uva Hanover took over in mid-stretch and powered away to a sharp two-length score in a lifetime-best 1:52.2. Lindys Tru Grit remained second with Can Do rallying well to finish third.
The win was the 14th for Uva Hanover, whose earnings are approaching $350,000 lifetime. He is trained by Linda Toscano for Stake Your Claim Stable and Martin Sternberg. Fresh from his trip to Australia, Tim Tetrick guided the five-year-old gelded son of Cantab Hall to the victory.
A tepid pace and a pocket trip resulted in a 9-1 upset for March Awareness in the supporting feature, the $20,000 Open II, on Friday night at The Meadowlands. Allowed to sit behind the lone-leader Lauderdale, who wheeled off fractions of :28.1, :57.3 and 1:26.4, March Awareness slingshot by in deep stretch to score in 1:55 for Yannick Gingras.
The win was the 19th in the career of March Awareness, who has earnings of $219,740. Ron Burke trains and co-owns the six-year-old gelded son of Ken Warkentin with Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Andy and Julie Miller teamed up to score a pair of trotting wins early on the card at The Meadowlands on Friday night with Magenta Man and Allerage Star.
Magenta Man scored in a non-winners of two condition event in a lifetime-best 1:55.4, while Allerage Star did not disappoint as the 2-1 favourite from post 10 in a non-winners of six trotting event.
Both trotters are owned in part by Jeff Gural’s Little E LLC.
After sweeping the late Daily Double, Yannick Gingras bagged four winners on the card. Jim Marohn Jr., Andy Miller and Trond Smedshammer each won a pair.
Total handle on the 14-race program was $2,879,881.
Racing returns on Saturday, with first post time at 6:35 p.m.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)