Lindysmusclemania threw his hat into the ring as a major Hambletonian player Friday night at The Meadowlands, taking one of three $25,000 divisions of the first leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings in a sparkling 1:51.4.
The Ake Svanstedt trainee, a son of Muscle Hill-Possessed By Lindy, displayed a big brush to assume command at the half, then rated the third fraction in :28.2 before trotting a final quarter in :26.4 to lower his previous lifetime best by one-and-three-fifth seconds, set two weeks ago in a blowout qualifier. Really Fast was 2=3/4 lengths back in second with Bee Forever third.
“There was a lot of hype about him after his qualifier,” said winning driver Dexter Dunn, who sat behind the horse for the first time. “I’m obviously impressed. I settled in early and made a move down the back. It was like driving a car when I asked him to go. I then asked him to stretch out a bit in the stretch and the rest of the way was just a ride for me.”
Lindysmusclemania returned $3.00 as the 1-2 favourite.
In the first division for male horses, Cuatro De Julio (Trixton-Clarabelle) cleared the top at the three-eighths and powered down the road from there to score by an easy length in 1:53.1 for trainer Marie Ortolan Bar and driver Lucas Wallin as the 2-5 public choice. Mon Amour was second with Locatelli third.
Svanstedt earned a training triple – and driving double – after his Narzario pulled off a 19-1 upset in the third division for colts and geldings in 1:53. The gelded son of Trixton-Gerris Joy emerged from a loose pocket late to rally and finish a neck in front of a resilient Kildare King, who just missed in a bid to go wire-to-wire. After 6-5 favourite Take This Society was disqualified for interference, Cricket Fashion was placed third in the official order of finish.
Earlier on the card, Svanstedt sent out a winner in the first of two $25,000 NJSS divisions for trotting fillies as his Wet My Whistle sat a pocket to 6-5 public choice Eazy Pass before closing along the inside to record a nose win in 1:53.1 as the 5-2 second choice. Svanstedt drove the daughter of Muscle Hill-Slightly Tipsy.
The Ron Burke-trained Hot As Hill took the second division for fillies in 1:53 by a length as the 9-5 favourite. Dave Miller moved the Muscle Hill-Smarty Pants miss off the rail before the half and made the top on the far turn before going on to an easy score over a fast-closing Awesome Trix.
Prior to the wagering card, a pair of non-bettors for New Jersey Sire Stakes three-year-olds on the pace were contested. Each had a purse of $20,000.
In the two-horse division for fillies, Anna Jeans led at every call to defeat Neverendingproject by 3-1/4 lengths. The daughter of Great Vintage-Early Go Hanover, who is trained by John Urbanski and was driven by Jason Thompson, stopped the clock in 2:01.1.
Fika Time went wire-to-wire in the three-horse split for colts and geldings, hitting the wire 3-1/4 lengths in front of Neyreit. Beda Too Quik was third. A gelded son of Sunfire Blue Chip-Raiders Favorite, the Chase Vandervort trainee finished the mile in 1:53.2 with Tim Tetrick in the sulky.
The 20-cent Pick-6 pool, fuelled by a $14,686 carryover, took in total action of $65,858, and those who correctly selected all six winners walked away with $8,761.
A shrewd player betting into the Ontario hub held the only winning ticket in the 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 and cashed in for $13,368.
Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m. The feature is the $141,250 Arthur J. Cutler for Free For All trotters.
(Meadowlands)