A total of 24 combined qualifying dashes at Mohawk Racetrack and the Meadowlands Racetrack had all eyes in the harness racing world fixated on an abundance of fledgling, proven, and much talked-about stars
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In what was his 2010 charted debut, Red Bugler, the Cammibest gelding which has been installed as the 25-1 ninth choice in Trot Magazine 2010 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book, was victorious in Race 1 for trainer Rheal Bourgeois and driver Keith Oliver at Mohawk. The bay left from Post 3, sat third early and went on to click off the half-mile timer in :57.1 while overland. After settling down along the cones, Oliver and Red Bugler then let one go and worked out a two-hole ride into the lane. When Oliver asked late, the gelding got up to post a neck win in 1:54.1.
Also making his seasonal charted debut in Mohawk's first race was the Jack Moiseyev-driven and John Kopas-trained Keystone Raptor (45-1 in Spring Book). The Astreos colt had come from third in the second quarter and was the one that covered up Red Bugler along the final turn and into the lane. After having led at the three quarters and head of the stretch call, Keystone Raptor would finish third at the wire, beaten one and half lengths. He paced his mile in 1:54.4.
A trio of NA Cup eligibles took to the track in Mohawk's third race. Rock Me Please (38-1 in Spring Book), the Rocknroll Hanover bay trained by Bob McIntosh and driven by Steve Condren, made his seasonal charted debut a winning one, as he left from Post 6 and cut all the fractions (:30, :57.4 and 1:26) en-route to a two and a half-length victory in 1:54.3. Grin For Money (35-1 in Spring Book), the John Kopas-trained and Sylvain Filion-driven colt, was also making his 2010 charted debut in the dash. Filion and the colt left from the rail, sat third throughout the mile and came on to finish second. Grin For Money paced his mile in 1:55. Also putting in his first charted mile of the season in Race 3 was the Gregg McNair-trained and Doug McNair-driven Art Major colt Ok Commander (32-1 in Spring Book). The colt started from Post 3 and took a pocket ride through the fractions before finishing third, beaten just over four lengths and pacing in 1:55.2.
The multiple stakes-winning millionaire Windsong Soprano made her four-year-old charted debut for trainer Bob McIntosh and driver Steve Condren in Mohawk's fourth qualifier. After leaving from the rail, Condren got away fourth with the Windsongs Legacy filly and came first-over in the second quarter. Windsong Soprano's grit showed in the race, as she battled for the lead the whole way. When all was said and done, Windsong Soprano finished second by three quarters of a length to Countess Stormont, who was a wire-to-wire winner in 1:58.2 for driver Jonathan Drury and trainer Norm Jones.
In what was also her seasonal charted debut, three-year-old Western Terror filly Western Silk took part in Mohawk's seventh qualifier for trainer Casie Coleman and driver Mark MacDonald. After starting from Post 2, MacDonald and the $319,804 earner came second-over from fifth in the third panel. The duo sat fourth more than three lengths back at the head of the lane, but when MacDonald flipped the switch, his filly responded. Western Silk went on to post a one-length victory in 1:55.4.
In what was her seasonal charted debut, the three-year-old filly by The Panderosa, You See L A, was the best in Mohawk's eighth race for trainer Bob McIntosh and driver Steve Condren. You See L A started from Post 5 and made every pole a winning one en-route to a one and a quarter-length victory in 1:57.1. The Jack Darling-trained and Jody Jamieson-driven Rocknroll Hanover filly Ticket To Rock was also making her three-year-old charted debut in the dash. Jamieson and the filly left from Post 8 and sat fourth through the first three quarter before finishing up well and coming on for second.
In what was his second qualifying performance of the year, 2008 O'Brien Award winner Nebupanezzar took to the track in Mohawk's 11th race for driver Steve Condren and trainer Bob McIntosh. Leaving from Post 5, the four-year-old No Pan Intended gelding put in a wire-to-wire performance in 1:53.2. Having been given a little bit of a break since capturing the Spring Pacing Championship, five-year-old Real Artist bay Dali took a pocket ride for driver Luc Ouellette and trainer Rene Allard. Dali would finish one and a half lengths back in second, as he paced his mile in 1:53.3.
To view the charted results from this morning's qualifying session at Mohawk Racetrack, click here.
In what was her second qualifying effort of the year, O'Brien Award winner Poof Shes Gone took part in the second race of the Meadowlands' early docket. After leaving from Post 7 with driver David Miller, the three-year-old Kadabra filly sat sixth through the first two calls until tipping out for a move in the third panel. Third-over into the stretch, Poof Shes Gone would finish up her mile with 27-second final-quarter speed, but would finish third by two and a half lengths to Ellens Isle and driver Andy Miller, who stopped the clock in 1:59. Poof Shes Gone trotted her mile in 1:59.2.
Another standout trotting filly, Costa Rica, took to the track for the third of the Meadowlands' morning miles, as the Muscles Yankee three-year-old was making her seasonal charted debut. In rein to Ron Pierce for trainer Jimmy Takter, Costa Rica left from Post 6 and got away seventh. Pierce had his mount overland second-over in the middle half. After being positioned four lengths back in third at the head of the lane, Costa Rica came home in :27.4 and finished second by two and a half lengths to Photo Charm, who stopped the clock in 1:58.4 for trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer. Costa Rica trotted her mile in 1:59.1.
Spicy Wings, the multiple stakes-winning daughter of Andover Hall, was making her 2010 charted debut for trainer Jeff Webster and driver John Campbell in Race 4. After leaving from Post 2, Campbell got his filly away mid-pack. Overland in seventh at the three quarters call, Campbell and Spicy Wings came home in :27.3 and finished fourth, four and a half length behind the winner, Southwind Samurai, who trotted to victory in 1:59. Spicy Wings trotted her mile in 1:59.4.
After having broken stride in an Open event this past weekend at Chester Racetrack, eight-year-old SJs Photo gelding Corleone Kosmos took part in the Meadowlands' eight qualifier for driver John Campbell and trainer Jeffrey Webster. After leaving from Post 3 and sitting second early, the millionaire went to the front before the half and trotted off to a six-length victory in 1:55.3.
Three-year-old Rocknroll Hanover filly Put On A Show took part in the Meadowlands' ninth qualifier, as she was putting in her second charted mile of the 2010 season for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Chris Ryder. The filly started from Post 9 and sat seventh until the third panel where Tetrick got her positioned out wide for an assault. Closing with a 26-second final quarter, Put On A Show finished second by a half length to Dancinwiththestarz, who stopped the clock in 1:55.4.
It has been much talked about for months, and finally the much-hyped six-year-old year old Mach Three bay Auckland Reactor made his North American charted debut in the Meadowlands' 11th qualifier of the morning. After starting from Post 7 with driver Brian Sears in the bike for trainer Kelvin Harrison, Auckland Reactor worked out a two-hole trip early behind Bullville Powerful, who clicked off the fractions in :27.2, :57.1 and 1:26.1. Still sitting the pocket at the head of the lane, Auckland Reactor would go on to pass Bullville Powerful in the stretch and sprint off to a two-length win in 1:53 off a :26.3 final quarter. Bullville Powerful held on for second.
A trio of NA Cup eligibles took part in the 12th qualifier from the Meadowlands, and One More Laugh who at 12-1 is the fourth choice in Trot Magazine's Spring Book, put in another sparkling effort. After having left from Post 4 with driver Tim Tetrick, the student of trainer Ray Schnittker took a pocket trip through the fractions (:28.3, :58.1 and 1:27.1) before pacing off to a two-length win in 1:53.1. One More Laugh finished off his mile with a :25.4 closing quarter. Putting in his second charted line of the year, Artsplace colt Urgent Action (78-1 in Spring Book) finished fourth in the dash for trainer Jerry Silverman and driver Richie Silverman, as he paced in 1:54.3. Western Terror colt Code Word (48-1 in Spring Book), trained by Erv Miller and driven by John Campbell, finished fifth and paced in 1:55.1. Each of the latter two colts came home with solid final quarters as well.
Making his first charted line since participating in the Meadowlands' Junior Trendsetter Series, Zarachino, a Red River Hanover colt owned by The Wiz Kids Stable, participated in the 13th qualifier for trainer-driver William Dalious. The conditioner worked out a pocket trip for his pupil, who finished second to Whackamole Hanover. Zarachino paced his mile in 1:56.3.
To view the charted results from this morning's qualifying session at the Meadowlands, click here.