Faced with the difficult decision to commit to drive one of two award-winning pacing mares for the upcoming stakes season, Anndrovette or the returning Put On A Show, Tim Tetrick mounted his choice during the Thursday morning qualifying session at the Meadowlands Racetrack
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Tetrick decided to stick with Anndrovette, the U.S. and Canadian Older Mare of the Year. In her second qualifier of the season, the five-year-old Riverboat King-Easy Miss mare sat third through early fractions of :27.2 and :56.1 before sweeping to command. She reached three-quarters in 1:26 and cruised home for the 1:54 score by over one length. P.J. Fraley now trains millionaire miss for New Jersey owners Bamond Racing LLC and Joseph Davino.
One race earlier, Put On A Show continued her comeback with a wire-to-wire effort in her second qualifier since suffering a knee injury and missing her four-year-old campaign. Brian Sears picked up the drive for trainer Chris Ryder and owners Craig Henderson of Illinois and Florida's Richard and Joanne Young. The daughter of Rocknroll Hanover and Stienams Place, who is harness racing's richest female pacer in her two and three-year-old years with close to $2 million earned, took the lead from Post 5 and cut out fractions of :26.2, :55.4 and 1:25.1 en route to victory in 1:52.2 by a neck over the quick-closing Chancey Lady and Tetrick.
Anndrovette and Put On A Show will likely face off in the first leg of the Overbid on March 2.
Other qualifier winners included last season's Lady Maud champion and Jugette runner-up Rocklamation (1:53), New Jersey Sire Stakes champion Myluvmylife (1:56.2), and Dexter champion Ice Machine (1:59), along with And Heez Perfect (1:57.4), Feegee (2:00.1.), Scent Of Oil (1:57.4), Stir Me Up (1:58.4), South Jersey Honey (1:59.4), Social Network (1:55.1), and Ideal Champ (1:56).
To view results for Thursday's harness racing qualifiers, click the following link: Thursday's Qualifier Results – Meadowlands Racetrack.