Saturday's Meadowlands qualifiers took place this morning under overcast skies with temperatures in the 60’s as world champion Mission Brief and some notable Pepsi North America Cup eligibles prepped for their upcoming campaigns.
Opulent Yankee opened the day a winner in 1:54.2/:27.2 as his owner (and track owner) Jeff Gural and wife Paula were in attendance, joining with the usual collection of observers and horseplayers watching from the VIP suites. He tracked Handover Belle before shifting out a lane and going by with no encouragement from driver Andy Miller.
By And By Hanover, a Muscle Massive filly from Brown Velvet trained and driven by Ake Svanstedt completing the double for Gural’s Little E LLC, was a 1:59.2 winner in the second race holding sway over a pair of Antonacci trotters, Lindy On The Rocks and Moni From Heaven.
Race three was an easy win for Show Biz Hall, a Deweycheatumnhowe sophomore, in 1:56.1 for Scott Zeron. Lightly raced at two with a 1:55 record at The Red Mile, the colt sashayed home in :27.4 in hand to the delight of trainer Tony Alagna and his eponymous ownership group.
After making a miscue in her qualifying debut last week due to a shoeing issue, Mission Brief got back on track with a controlled 1:56.2/:28.1 win, edging away on her own from Speak To Me for Yannick Gingras. The New Jersey Sires Stakes begin next Friday and would provide a comfortable starting point for the world record holding daughter of Muscle Hill should trainer Ron Burke and his partners Our Horse Cents Stable, J&T Silva and Weaver Bruscemi choose that route.
Hambo eligible Guess Whos Back made a strong statement after the break with an effortless 1:53.3/:27 win with Brian Sears aboard. Something of an enigma last season with flashes of brilliance compromised by equally frustrating inconsistency, the Muscles Yankee colt looked rock solid in his second outing for trainer Nik Drennan and owners Joseph Davino, Brad Shackman, TLP Stable and J&T Silva.
Race seven was the first pacing event of the day and contained several North America Cup and Meadowlands Pace eligibles. Lyons Levi Lewis (20-1 eighth choice in Trot Magazine's Spring Book) led all the way and held off the late-rushing Penji Hanover in 1:52/:27 for Gingras with ASAP Hanover a solid third. Spring Book favourite Artspeak while well back early behind a gapper, was absolutely airborne late. Ron Burke trains the winning Well Said colt for Joseph Lyons Mound.
Not to be outdone, In The Arsenal (6-1 third choice in Spring Book) made his North America Cup and Meadowlands Pace case with an easy 1:53.2/:26.3 breeze for Sears. Revenge Shark closed up to be second and National Seelster was third. The winner is trained by Kelvin Harrison for White Birch Farms and In The Arsenal Racing.
Older horses were next and Great Vintage got up despite a very wide drift through a :26 flat last quarter to win over pacesetting Lyonssomewhere, the mile in 1:51. Gingras drove the old boy for Takter, et al. Rockeyed Optomist was a comfortable third. A few of these four-year-olds are getting some work in anticipation of the upcoming Graduate Series opening leg at Tioga Downs on Memorial Day, May 25.
Sophomore filly pacer Better Said won for Tetrick, Toscano and Brittany Farms in 1:53.3 from just off the pace, picking off Luck Be A Lindy through a :27 flat final panel.
Sassa Hanover was vicious in her second qualifier, riding a pocket through slow numbers then sprinting home a widening winner into :26.2 final quarter with Gingras driving for Burke, Panehellenic Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Larry Karr. Hollyrocker and Rock Her World followed her home.
Meadowlands qualifiers wrapped with Witch Dali holding sway over Sandbetweenurtoes and Beach Story in 1:53.2/:27.3 with Tetrick aboard for Alagna Racing and Brad Grant.
Live racing resumes at The Meadowlands tonight at 7:15 p.m.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)