The Junior Trendsetter for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings got underway at The Meadowlands on Thursday evening
, with three $12,500 divisions going postward.
Light Up The Sky drew first blood thanks to a narrow victory for owner/trainer George Teague Jr. and driver Brian Sears. The son of Four Starzzz Shark posted a neck decision in 1:54.3. In Over My Head was second best and Yanzhou rounded out the top three.
Sent off as the 2-5 choice, Light Up The Sky won for the sixth time in just seven lifetime starts. He has banked $32,750 to date.
Cole Hard Cash parked every step of the mile in the second division, but still managed to pull away to a 1:53.1 victory for the tandem of driver Dan Dube and trainer Richard Bilach.
The son of Cole Muffler track the cover of race favourite Hypnotic Blue Chip into the stretch before vaulting off that one’s cover and pulling away to win by a little more than a length. Hypnotic Blue Chip, who was sent off as the 6-5 favourite, was second and Cutty Shark finished third.
Owned by Fabulous Farms LLC of Glen Ridge, NJ, the youngster won for the eighth time in 15 lifetime tries while pushing his cash stash to $27,619.
Dan Dube also clicked with Sponzo Bratka in the final division, winning in a time of 1:57.1. It was the third lifetime win and the first of the season for the son of Richess Hanover.
The Scott Di Domenico trainee rallied to the top in the late stages of the mile en route to defeating runner-up Hurrikane Jon Paul and third-place finisher Come Together.
Patrick Quaid of Evergreen Park, IL holds the papers on the career winner of $13,606.
The second leg of the Junior Trendsetter Series is scheduled to go next Thursday evening at The Meadowlands, with the $80,000 (est.) final slated for Saturday, February 21.
To view Thursday’s results, click here.