Hurrikane Ali continued to impress with another effortless win in the $25,000 second leg of the New Jersey Sires Stakes at The Meadowlands on Saturday night.
The son of Rocknroll Hanover was away patiently for Yannick Gingras as the field passed the quarter in :26.4, but once the dust settled Gingras moved him to the front and the race was effectively over. Hurrikane Ali closed out the 1:50.1 mile with a :26.2 final quarter and sets up an interesting match up with Artspeak (who skipped the second leg) in next Saturday's $100,000 final.
John McDermott Jr. is the trainer of the winner, now three-for-three this year, for owners Kuhen Racing, Jonathan Klee Racing, Dr. Ken Rucker and Robert Pucila.
Gokudo Hanover was a length and a quarter in arrears for second with Edward Teach third.
Beyond the Sires Stakes, Hurrikane Ali is eligible to the Pepsi North America Cup.
The filly pacers also completed their preliminary leg obligations and Wicked Little Minx scored a mild 10-1 upset in a front-stepping career-best 1:51.1 effort for driver Tim Tetrick.
Wicked Little Minx was left alone on the lead through friendly fractions while favoured Stacia Hanover was mired in traffic and left with too much to do at the end despite her ferocious :26.2 final quarter rally. Quick Aint Fair finished third.
Trainer Nancy Johansson was racing Wicked Little Minx, also by Rocknroll Hanover, for only the second time since she took over the duties for owner Courant AB of Sweden.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)