A battle between Captaintreacherous and Foiled Again was the highlight of Friday morning qualifying action at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Overall, conditions were fair for the qualifiers. The session was held under overcast skies with little. The track was rated as ‘fast.’
After having started from Post 1, driver Matt Kakaley insisted that Foiled Again got out to the lead. Captaintreacherous and driver Tim Tetrick opted to tuck into second. That order continued through fractions of :28, :56.4 and 1:25.1. According to a release by the Meadowlands, Foiled Again then drifted into the two or three path as he turned for home. Tetrick then steered Captaintreacherous on the inside as the pair of horses sprinted home in a :26.1 final quarter. Foiled Again held sway to the wire in the 1:51.2 mile. Both horses were quite willing and encouraged by the spirit of the competition.
The enigmatic Quick Deal had to get a flat line after a pair of gate breaks, and he did so in 1:54 with Matt Kakaley, who was driving some Ron Burke-trained horses since Yannick Gingras is abroad for Sunday’s Elitlopp.
Quick Deal has spotted top trotters considerable ground a number of times and gone some incredible fractions in pursuit of the field in those races. He barely broke a sweat Friday. Boadicea Hanover, also from the Burke barn with Scott Zeron driving, tracked the winner and was a good second.
Creatine made his seasonal debut Friday morning for trainer Bobby Stewart. The 2013 Kentucky Futurity winner was strong riding along in the pocket behind Celebrity Secret through soft early fractions, then responded willingly when Mike Lachance tipped him out in the stretch to win by one length in 1:54.3. Celebrity Secret went a good mile and finished second over a closing Money On My Mind.
The talented sophomore pacing filly Gallie By The Beach flashed a glimpse of what she’s capable of with a 1:52.2 mile for John Campbell. She is the result of mating the champion mare of a decade ago Galleria to the great Somebeachsomewhere. Jim Campbell trains the filly for Jules Siegel’s Fashion Farms.
A pair of horses from Tony Alagna’s fleet of sophomore pacing colts sprinted home together in :27 on the end of a 1:53 mile, as Ideal Magic (driven by Tim Tetrick) edged Journeyman (Scott Zeron). They both looked sharp in preparation for upcoming stakes engagements. Lord Of Misrule was a closing third as the Antonacci stable made its first appearance of the spring.
To view the harness racing results for the Friday qualifying session at the Meadowlands, click the following link: Friday Results – Meadowlands Racetrack (Qualifiers).
(With files from the Meadowlands)