The New Jersey Sires Stakes for sophomore trotters highlighted the Friday night harness racing card at Meadowlands Racetrack.
Raced on a sloppy strip in unseasonably cool conditions, six trotting colts lined up for the NJSS $33,000 second leg in race two.
Smilin Eli impressed everyone last week, breaking his maiden against similar and came right back with ease this week.
Tim Tetrick guided the Muscles Yankee colt to the lead by the quarter and met no pressure through an soft :59 middle half. Into the stretch, the pocket-sitting Timo Deo rolled off stride and last year's NJSS final winner Corky tried unsuccessfully to advance on Smilin Eli. The result was a :27.3 final panel and a dominant 1:54.2 win for Nick Cimino's homebred, trained by Deshawn Minor.
Eight fillies came back for the $34,000 second leg and Silver Credit moved forward off a troubled trip to win convincingly in 1:56. Driver Corey Callahan found more successful options from an inside post after last week's wide, closing effort and placed Silver Credit in winning position.
Mike Lachance had Time To Kill on the lead through friendly numbers, including a 1:00 breather in the middle, but she offered little resistance when the closers came calling. Miss Steele wore the leader down with a first over grind until Silver Credit emerged from her cover to coast by. Southwind Cocoa was a late-closing second.
Randy Beeckman conditions the Muscles Yankee lass for the Miller's Stable of Leburn, Kentucky.
New Jersey-sired four-year-old Harbor Point was also in the Friday spotlight later capturing the $30,000 Free-For-All Handicap Trot in 1:55 by half a length over From Above and Tall Cotton. Ron Pierce drove the Yankee Glide gelding for trainer Ryan Maxwell and New York owner Martin Scharf.
The Meadowlands showed an increase in handle to the tune of 31 per cent for the program compared to the same Friday in 2012.
The NJSS pacers take the stage tomorrow night and the $150,000 finals for all divisions will be raced next Saturday, June 1.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Meadowlands Racetrack.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)