O'Brien Award winners from 2009 and a bevy of Pepsi North America Cup eligibles took to the track this morning at the Meadowlands Racetrack to partake in another big 15-race qualifying session
.
O'Brien Award winner Poof Shes Gone, the three-year-old Kadabra filly trained by Richard 'Nifty' Norman and driven by David Miller, put in her first charted line of the 2010 campaign in Race 6. The filly left from Post 3 and sat fourth through the first three quarters of the dash. Miller asked his mount for trot in the lane, and trot Poof Shes Gone did. The filly came home with a :27.3 final quarter and got up to post a one-length victory in 1:58.2.
Three-year-old Rocknroll Hanover filly Put On A Show was putting in her first charted mile of the season in Race 8 for trainer Chris Ryder and driver Tim Tetrick. The filly started from Post five and sat fourth through the opening half. Miller had Put On A Show angled out for an advance by the time the third call was clicked off. After being third at the head of the stretch, Put On A Show went on to post a one-length win in 1:54.4. via :26.1 final-quarter speed.
Putting in her second qualifying performance of the year for trainer George Teague, Jr., three-year-old Western Hanover lass Fancy Filly was solid with Brian Sears in the bike this morning. After leaving from Post 4 in Race 9, the O'Brien Award-winning filly sat the pocket until she made a first-over move for the lead in the second quarter. Settling down to the pylons after the half, Sears and Fancy Filly went on to record a one and three-quarter-length victory in 1:52.3 off a back half in :54.4.
A string of three-year-old colts and geldings eligible to the Woodbine Entertainment Group's $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup began qualifying as of Race 11.
The Jerry Silverman-trained and Richie Silverman-driven Artsplace colt Urgent Action put in his first charted mile of the year in Race 11. After leaving from Post 2, Silverman and his mount sat third through the fractions and finished up with a :26.3 final quarter en-route to a second-place finish by three-quarters of a length. Urgent Action, who has been gauged at odds of 78-1 in Trot Magazine's 2010 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book, paced his mile in 1:55.1.
No less than four NA Cup eligibles took to the track in Race 12.
With his trainer Ray Schnittker in the bike, three-year-old McArdle gelding One More Laugh (12-1 in Spring Book) made his 2010 charted debut in fine fashion. The gelding left from Post 6 and wired the field. One More Laugh cut the fractions in :29.1, :58 and 1:27 before coming home in a sizzling :25.4 for a two-length win in 1:52.4.
Driven by John Campbell for trainer Jimmy Takter, Rockin Image (20-1 in Spring Book) finished second to One More Laugh in Race 12. The Rocknroll Hanover colt was putting in his first charted mile of the season and took a pocket trip from Post 2. He came his final quarter mile in 26 seconds and paced in 1:53.1.
Three-year-old Bettors Delight colt Im Gorgeous (35-1 in Spring Book) finished third in Race 12 for driver Brian Sears and trainer George Teague, Jr. The colt was making his second qualifying performance of the year. He closed with a 26-second final quarter this morning and paced his mile in 1:53.4.
Also making his second qualifying performance of the year in Race 12 was the Artsplace colt Shoobees Place (50-1 in Spring Book), who finished fourth for trainer Richard 'Nifty' Norman and driver David Miller. The colt paced his mile in 1:54 and capped it off with a 26-second final panel.
In what was his second qualifying performance of 2010, the George Teague, Jr.-trained and David Miller-driven Dr Dreamy (28-1 in Spring Book) was sharp in Race 13, as he wired the field from Post 6 and stopped the clock in 1:51.4. The colt cut the fractions in :27.4, :56.3 and 1:25.2 before coming home with a :26.2 kicker.
Dr Dreamy's margin of victory was a half-length over fellow 'Cup' eligible Blue Rock (35-1 in Spring Book), who took a pocket trip for driver Brian Sears and Trainer Ron Burke. The colt tracked Dr Dreamy through the whole mile and came home with a 26-second final quarter.
To view the charted harness racing results from the Meadowlands qualifying session, click here.