The Meadowlands hosted the first leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old pacers on Friday (May 17).
Colts and geldings competed for a purse of $25,000, while pacing fillies raced for a $20,000 purse. Both races were held before the regularly scheduled program as non-betting races.
The first NJSS race was for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Hurrikane Emperor and Dan Dube stole the show with a 1:53.2 wire-to-wire win and an impressive last quarter of 25.4 for trainer John McDermott Jr. Clintock was second with Black Dan coming in third.
Hurrikane Emperor is a Hurrikane Kingcole colt, starting his three-year-old season in the same winning ways he closed his two-year-old season out. He has eight lifetime wins in just 10 starts and has earned $237,900 for owners Jonathan Klee Racing, Kuhen Racing LLC, Pegasus Investment Group and William Garofalo.
The next NJSS race was the first leg for three-year-old pacing fillies, also won by McDermott and Dube. Hurrikane Lori Ann stalked the leader from the two-hole until the stretch, where she surged ahead to win in 1:54. Mollydooker was a close second with Love Love Me Too finishing third. Hurrikane Lori Ann is one-for-one in her three-year-old season, increasing her lifetime earnings to $50,415 for owners Jonathan Klee Racing, Kuhen Racing LLC and Pegasis Investment Group.
The second leg of the NJSS for three-year-old pacers will be on Friday (May 24) at The Meadowlands.
(SBOANJ)