With the start of the Meadowlands Racetrack’s 2010 season only a few days away, the East Rutherford, New Jersey oval hosted another busy qualifying session on Monday featuring 24 races
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Atlantic Sire Stakes Breeders Crown runner-up Darko turned in a 1:56.2 effort midway through the session with Tim Tetrick in the bike for trainer Richard Johnson. The three-year-old Largo filly advanced to the lead from third at the half and kicked away from the field by two and a quarter lengths with her final quarter clocked in :28.4.
Darko has enjoyed a standout season on the East Coast winning nine out of 15 stake events for owner Ralph Annear of Montague, P.E.I. The $4,700 Atlantic Classic sale purchase has banked $48,186 on 2009.
Millionaire pacer Psilvuheartbreaker and James Meittinis converted from a pocket trip and used a :27.2 final frame to build up a four and a quarter length lead. The six-year-old son of Nobleland Sam stopped the clock in 1:55.4 for trainer Bruce Saunders and owner Frank Bellino of Bronxville, New York.
Soul Chaser and David Miller led the way through fractions of :28, :58.2 and 1:29.1 en route to a 1:56.3 victory in his qualifying assignment for The Panhellenic Stable of Oyster Bay, New York and Rucker Stable Inc. of Beecher, Illinois. The eight-year-old Kentucky Spur gelding is a winner of 41 races and $670,340 in purses.
O'Brien Award winner Casimir Camotion, with Brian Sears in the bike, also front-stepped his way to victory in 1:54 for Saunders and owner M And M Harness Racing LL of Nanuet, New York. The veteran Camluck gelding, who have banked over $1.7 million to date, left from Post 9 and rolled through stations of :28, :58.2 and 1:29.1 before kicking home in :27.2 for the three length score.
The 2010 Harness Meet at Meadowlands Racetrack begins the first weekend of the New Year with 7 p.m. cards on Friday, January 1 and Saturday, January 2.
To view the charted lines from Monday’s qualifying session at the Big M, click here.