The first leg of the Clyde Hirt Stake for four-year-old pacers and under and the Complex Series for five-year-old pacers and under began on Friday at Meadowlands Racetrack
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Five $18,000 divisions were featured in the opening round of the Clyde Hirt. The fastest division of the evening was won by the Julie Miller-trained Real Joke and driver Andy Miller in a career-best 1:51.4. The four-year-old son of Real Desire-Kiddinonthesquare advanced from third after :27.4 opening quarter and carved out the remaining stations of :57.1 and 1:25.3 before kicking away by six lengths with a :26.1 final quarter.
Going Native (David Miller) and Blackbird Singing (Tim Tetrick) finished second and third.
Real Joke, now two-for-two in 2010, notched his fourth lifetime win and bumped his bankroll to $33,335 for owners Brian Gordon of Livingston, Toby Rekoon of Westfield and Stewart Goldberg of Flemington, New Jersey.
Andy Miller also drove the following Clyde Hirt victor, Pantastic Guy for trainer Kimberly Rinker and owners Leon Zimmerman of Trenton, Michael Beckerman of Rahway and Thomas Fanning of Jackson, New Jersey. The four-year-old son of The Panderosa-Thepanofiwojima, who rallied from third over for the two and a quarter length score in 1:53.3, also remains perfect so far this year with two wins to his credit.
Driver George Brennan captured two of the divisions driving Woodstock Hanover (1:54.4) for trainer Aaron Lambert and Big Bad Bosley (1:53) for Josh Green while Brian Sears took the other division aboard Majestic Jackpot (1:53.3) for Brian Burton.
The Andy and Julie Miller combo (three winners together on the program) also clicked to win one of the three $20,000 Complex Series divisions. Intheblinkofaneye sat near the back of the pack for most of the mile before following favourite Tidewater Tomahawk (Yannick Gingras) into the three-path at the three-quarters mark. The 6-1 third choice sprinted home in :26.3 to nose of the popular choice in 1:53.1. Theorys Hero (Richard Silverman) was third.
Intheblinkofaneye, a five-year-old son of Cole Muffler-Paint The Picture, notched his first win of the season and eighth lifetime lifting his earnings to $72,600 for Andy Miller Stable Inc. of Millstone Township, New Jersey, Bert Hochsprung of Elburn, Illinois and the Pinske Stables of Plato, Minnesota.
With Ron Pierce in the bike, Real Image pulled the pocket en route to three-quarters and edged out Laguna Beach (David Miller) by a half-length to win the faster of the three Complex splits in 1:52.2 for trainer Josh Green. Owned by Steven Carter, Robert Reid and Chuck Grubbs all from Ohio, the four-year-old son of Real Desire-Shy Reflection earned his sixth career win tonight raising his bankroll to $141,115.
Shipping in from Ontario, F Train (1:55.1) and Brian Sears prevailed in the first division for trainer Anthony Montini and co-owners Albina Montini of Acton and Paul Giammichele of Burlington, Ont.
In regular racing action, Native Bride doubled up in the $32,000 Mares Invitational Pace after moving three-wide around Tracys Song (Tim Tetrick) at the third quarter mark and unleashing a :26.4 final quarter. The odds-on favourite won by two and a quarter lengths in 1:52.3 over Ramona Disomma (George Brennan), who followed her wide. Pacesetter Natalie (David Miller) ended up third.
The five-year-old Allamerican Native-Nova mare, two-for-two in the new year, has now won three-in-a-row for trainer Luis Pena and owners Jay Sears of Osteen, Florida and T H Stable LLC of Wall, New Jersey. Native Bride’s 23rd career win boosted her bankroll to $658,493.
To view Friday's results, click here.