Corky and Southwind Cocoa, winners of last year’s New Jersey Sire Stakes Championships as two-year-olds, are back on the road to the $150,000 Premier Division finals at three in the opening round of action on Friday, May 17 at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Southwind Cocoa has drawn Post 6 in a field of 12 in the $36,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies, carded as the sixth race. Corky drew the rail in the $34,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and gelding, carded as Race 2.
'Cocoa,' a daughter of Chocolatier and Missymae Bluestone, was a modest $6,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase who banked $98,585 at two with three wins and a third from 10 starts. With a third-place finish in her 2013 debut in the Simpson at the Meadowlands, she went over the $100,000 mark in career earnings for the partnership of Richard Gutnick of Blue Bell, PA and William J. Augustine of Hammonton, NJ.
The Linda Toscano trainee has Tim Tetrick listed to drive and is rated 4-1 in the morning line.
Corky, a son of Muscles Yankee–Clarice Marie, was runner-up by a neck in the 2012 Peter Haughton Memorial two starts before he drew off to a three-length victory in last year’s $150,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final.
A $100,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase, Corky was second in his season’s debut in a Simpson division. He now has a career record of three wins and five seconds from eight tries and earnings of $233,988 for owners Christina Takter of East Windsor, NJ and Toronto-based brothers John and Jim Fielding.
Corky and Simpson division winner Muscles Mountain, coupled in the wagering, are the 4-5 morning line favourites.
The New Jersey Sire Stakes Finals for three-year-olds, all with $150,000 estimated purses, will take place on June 1 at the Meadowlands.
(SBOANJ)