The first of June brings with it the promise of summer and the start of two-year-old racing. The qualifiers on the morning of Saturday, June 1 offered the first of those as The Meadowlands prepares for next week’s start of Breakfast of the Babies.
There were just four short fields of two-year-olds on the bill at The Meadowlands along with six qualifiers on Saturday, a perfect weather day with the temperature around 70°F / 21°C, no wind and a fast track.
Ray Schnittker dominated the opener, the result of having the only two starters in the trot. He set the fractions with the Greenshoe filly, Shes A Shoe In, ending the 2:01.2 mile with a :29.2 quarter to hold off Karinchak (Mark MacDonald) in a photo.
The winner was bred by Steve Jones and sold at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for $65,000. Schnittker owns the filly with Grozcona Racing Stable.
Trainer Bruce Saunders sent out a sharp-looking son of first crop New Jersey sire Cattlewash named Manolete (driven by Tim Tetrick) to win the second race. Tetrick followed his only opponent, Holt Hanover (MacDonald) around through slow fractions then brushed by when the leader drifted late through a :27.4 end to the 1:58.1 mile.
Manolete was a $52,000 Harrisburg buy for two long-time owners of Saunders, M&L of Delaware and M&M Racing. He was bred by the OK Corral.
A pair of Steven Crevani-breds took on a single Schnittker entry in the third race for filly pacers. Tim Tetrick sat third throughout with Bulvilhighonmaggie as entry-mate Bulvilsgotnopigeon (Scott Zeron) set sensible fractions then outsprinted her two rivals to get the win in 2:00.1. On Cloud Wine (MacDonald) split the 'Bullvilles' to be second. Crevani bred, owns and trains the winner, a daughter of American Ideal.
Crevani came right back to win the next baby race with Bulvillkidunotedna. That homebred daughter of American Ideal led all the way for Zeron, holding off Cervi (MacDonald) through a :28.1 end to the day’s fastest mile for the rookies, 1:57.2.
Shifting to the older horses, Dan Patch Award winner Its Academic and driver David Miller led throughout their mile but could not withstand the close of Winners Bet. Impressive in his qualifying efforts thus far, the four-year-old charged by Its Academic through a :26.3 end to the 1:51.3 mile under no urging from driver Dexter Dunn.
My Girl EJ was put through a public workout by Dunn, and the Breeders Crown winner sprinted home in :26 to close out a 1:52.3 mile off by herself.
Dunn also guided Stonebridge Helios to victory, setting all the pace and sprinting home in the grips to finish the 1:51.3 mile with All About The Hunt (Patrick Ryder) sticking pretty much with him right to the wire.
(with files from The Meadowlands)