Breeders Crown champion Uncle Peter turned in a career-best performance in his second qualifier of the season during the morning session at Meadowlands Racetrack, which also saw heavyweight pacer Won The West return
to action.
Driven by Ron Pierce, Uncle Peter cleared to command after the :29.4 opening quarter and cruised through middle panels of :58.1 and 1:26.4 en route to a 1:54.1 three length triumph over the season-debuting Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion Stormin Normand and William Wellwood Memorial runner-up Money On My Mind.
The Jimmy Takter trainee is owned by Toronto's John and Jim Fielding, along with Christina Taker and Falkbolagen Ab of New Jersey. The Cantab Hall-Victory Treasure colt is eligible to the $1.5 million Hambletonian.
The Purple Haze Stables' champion four-year-old trotter Dejarmbro went wire-to-wire to win his second qualifier of the year by five and three-quarter lengths in 1:52.2 for trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer. The millionaire son of Credit Winner out of Armbro Deja Vu matched his lifetime mark with the triumph. The Earl Beal champion hit the board in numerous other stakes at three, including close runner-up performances in the Empire Breeders Classic, Colonial Trot and Kentucky Futurity.
Pacing sensation Won The West, an eight-year-old Western Ideal-Gabrielle gelding, put in his first charted mile since being sidelined after last year's Canadian Pacing Derby by a re-occurring injury. The 2010 O'Brien Award winner finished fourth in his qualifier with his individual mile timed in 1:52.4 and final quarter in :25.3. The $3.96 million earner will be eyeing Gallo Blue Chip's all-time money record of $4,293,108 this season for trainer Ron Burke and owners Country Club Acres Inc., Strollin Stable, and William Robinson. Burke trainee Itrustyou won the qualifier in 1:51.4 with a :25.2 final frame.
Multiple stakes winning pacing miss Drop The Ball made the first appearance of her four-year-old season, rallying home in :26.3 to finish third in her qualifier, timed individually in 1:54, for teamster Yannick Gingras and trainer Ross Croghan. The Western Terror-Mattcheck Girl mare is owned by Let It Ride Stables Inc., Dana Parham and Robert Cooper Stables LLC. Burke trainee Ole Miss wired the field in 1:53.
To view Saturday's complete qualifying results, click on the following link: Saturday Results (Qualifiers) - Meadowlands Racetrack.