Two O'Brien Award winners made their 2013 debuts Thursday morning during Meadowlands Racetrack's qualifying session.
Warrawee Needy made the first qualifying start of his aged career a winning one for driver Mark MacDonald and trainer Mark Ford.
The four-year-old Ontario-sired son of E Dees Cam charged to the lead from post seven in the sixth dash and cruised through fractions of :28.2, :57.4 and 1:26.2 before kicking home in :26.4 into a head wind to win by over nine lengths in 1:53.1 with the track given a two-second time allowance. Power Of A Moment and Forever Just rounded out the top three finishers.
"'Needy' was ultra impressive," MacDonald told Trot Insider following the qualifying mile. "He was very strong pacing through the wire. His next start is in the Aquarius at the Meadowlands."
Carl Jamieson of Rockwood, Ont. leases Canada's 2011 Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year, who has won 13 races lifetime while earning $829,425 in purses.
"Carl had him trained up good and ready to go when he arrived and he sure felt today like he was ready to race," said MacDonald.
The three-week Aquarius Series gets underway Saturday, March 2.
Two-time Older Pacing Mare of the Year Anndrovette also put in her first charted mile of the season during Thursday's qualifying session.
With Tim Tetrick in the sulky, the six-year-old Riverboat King mare sat fourth for most of the mile before coming home in :27-seconds to place three-quarters of a length behind Fox Valley Hermia, individually timed in 1:57.1. Best Boss was third.
P.J. Fraley conditions the double millionairess who has won 28 times in her career for New Jersey owners Bamond Racing LLC and Joseph Davino.
Tetrick told Trot Insider he was happy with Anndrovette's performance and she will be a likely starter in the Overbid Series, scheduled to begin Friday, March 1.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Meadowlands Racetrack (Qualifiers) - Thursday Results.