While the harness world awaits the debut of early Hambletonian favourite Muscle Hill, trainer Greg Peck appears to have another solid prospect for harness racing's $1.5 million prize with My Back Pages
.
The son of Revenue wired the field with a sharp 1:54 effort in the first of two $54,400 New Jersey Sire Stakes divisions for three-year-old colt trotters Monday afternoon at the Meadowlands. Driven by George Brennan, My Back Pages rolled through fractions of :27.3, :56.1 and 1:25.1 before pulling away to a 3 1/4-length victory over American Journey (Tim Tetrick). The favourite, Manningly (Brian Sears), held his ground for third. My Back Pages paid $8.80 to win the afternoon's sixth race. It was his first win in six career starts.
My Back Pages was originally a $20,000 yearling purchase at the 2007 New Jersey Classic Sale by Irving Bork. Trainer Greg Peck negotiated a 50 percent sale of the trotter to TLP Stable and Jerry Silva, which took effect May 8. My Back Pages made just two starts as freshman before ankle issues cost him the rest of the season. After a pair of second-place finishes in the Super Bowl Series in January, Peck gave the colt three months off to prepare for the lengthy stakes season ahead, which includes the $1.5 million Hambletonian on August 8.
In the second NJSS division for sophomore colts, Vesuvio AS coasted to a 3 1/2-length victory in 1:54.4 with Tim Tetrick at the lines. The Chancellor (Andy Miller) and Tad The Stud (George Brennan) were the respective second and third-place finishers. Another Hambletonian eligible, Vesuvio AS improved his record to three wins in nine career starts for trainer Anette Lorentzon and her family's ACL Stuteri AB. Vesuvio AS is a son of 2004 Hambletonian winner Windsongs Legacy, whose stud career was tragically cut short by his premature death in 2008 at age seven.
The opening round of the NJSS for three-year-old fillies was also contested Monday afternoon with a trio of $38,400 divisions going to Seaside (1:56.4), Margarita Momma (1:55) and Gabbys Dream (1:54.1). All three fillies are eligible to the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks on August 8.
Live racing resumes Wednesday, May 27 at the Meadowlands. Post time is 7 p.m.
To view Monday's results, click here.
(NJSEA)