Two mammoth sessions of baby races in New Jersey and Pennsylvania have unleashed a wave of two-year-olds that will shoot for stardom in the upcoming months.
Heavy rain in the early morning led to numerous scratches Monday at Gaitway Farm, which was hosting its first of three days of qualifiers this month for two-year-old trotters and pacers.
Trainers Ron Burke and Julie Miller, both with stables at Gaitway, dominated the action with the two-year-olds, sending out a total of 19 of the 44 rookies and combining to win nine of the 12 qualifiers for the newcomers.
Burke’s winners were pacers Eloquently Stated (Well Said-Jennie Fanetta), Sassa Hanover (Rock N Roll Heaven-Sayo Hanover), Band Of Angels (Rock N Roll Heaven-Time N Again), K-Rock (Rock N Roll Heaven-Sunduel A), and trotter Habitat (Conway Hall-Habits Best).
Eloquently Stated, a homebred owned by Howard Taylor, won in 1:55.4 over a “good” track. She is a half-sister to 2012 New Jersey Futurity winner Verdad. Band Of Angels, who won in 1:57.2, is a half-sister to millionaire female pacer Romantic Moment.
Miller won with trotters Taxed To The Max (Yankee Glide-Prime Mistress), Livininthefastlane (Donato Hanover-Nicole’s Promise), Kelsey’s Keepsake (Yankee Glide-Distaff), and pacer Badiou Hanover (Well Said-Blind Ambition).
Taxed To The Max, who won in 2:03, is a full brother to The Chancellor, a New Jersey Sire Stakes champion who has earned $691,366 in his career, and half-brother to 2012 Goodtimes Stakes winner Beer Summit. Kelseys Keepsake, a winner in 2:02, is a half-sister to multiple-stakes-winner The Budster.
Steve Elliott-trained pacer Stacia Hanover (Western Ideal-Stolly Up Bluechip), Aaron Lambert’s pacer McCito (McArdle-Only Gossip), and Dawn Anderson’s pacer Manny In Sports (Badlands Hanover-Sport Of Queens) also were two-year-old winners.
McCito, who won in 1:57.1, is a full brother to 2008 New Jersey Classic winner McCedes.
Harrah’s Philadelphia hosted forty-nine up and coming two-year-olds in their second set of baby races in preparation for the 2014 meet. Tuesday morning’s qualifiers brought three youngsters home in 1:56.3, the quickest miles of the morning.
To kick off the session, Yankee Bounty stepped off the gate and wired the field with a last quarter in 27.1. Frank Chick picked up the Yankee Cruiser gelding for $21,000 in Harrisburg and placed him in the stable of Kevin Lare. With George Dennis in the bike, the pacer floated home with a lead of two lengths at the finish.
The sixth qualifier brought about another impressive mile of 1:56.3, won in the same fashion. Smoking Joey and driver Corey Callahan stepped off the gate and held the lead throughout the mile, pacing his last quarter in :28. The Riggins gelding just held on at the wire, keeping a head in front of runner up Motown Moe. Doug Lewis’ trainee dropped nearly three seconds from his qualifier just a week before for owner CTC Stable, and the gelding now holds two qualifying wins.
Somebeachsomewhere filly Southwind Roulette posted a clocking on par with the two fastest colts of the morning in the ninth. Another Doug Lewis trainee, the filly took the lead from gate to wire, putting up a last quarter in 27.3. A $20,000 purchase at the Lexington Select Sale by L A Express Stable LLC, the New Jersey bred held off Lean On Yourself to seal a first qualifying win with Callahan in the bike.
Trotter Tick Tok Tag posted the fastest mile of the morning in 2:03 with John Campbell at the lines. The Jim Campbell trainee got away second before pulling at the quarter to take the lead. Bred and owned by Fashion Farms LLC, the colt trotted his last quarter in 29.1.
A total of nine two year old qualifiers were contested Tuesday morning. The results are as follows:
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Race 1: Yankee Bounty (b, g, 2 - Yankee Cruiser – Bootleg Yankee – Allamericannative) 1:56.3
Driver: George Dennis – Trainer: Kevin Lare
Owner: Frank Chick, Harrington, DE -
Race 2: Totally Rusty (ch, f, 2 - Rustys For Real – Rustys Joy – Badlands Hanover) 1:58.1
Driver: George Dennis – Trainer: Doug Lewis
Owner: Carter Racing Stable LLC, Greenville, DE -
Race 3: Tick Tok Tag (br, c, 2 - Broadway Hall – Tags Schooner – Tagliabue) 2:03
Driver: John Campbell – Trainer: Jim Campbell
Owner: Fashion Farms LLC, New Hope, PA -
Race 4: Sammy Said (bl, c, 2 - Well Said – Rosies Pride – Dragon Again) 1:59.2
Driver: Tim Tetrick – Trainer: Mark Harder
Owner: Fox Hollow Farm, Shaverton, PA -
Race 5: Balinska Hanover (b, f, 2 - Somebeachsomewhere – Brissonte Hanover – Dragon Again) 2:01.2
Driver: John Campbell – Trainer: Roland Mallar
Owner: Linwood M Higgins, Scarborough, ME-Edward A Bardowski, Colts Neck, NJ-Thomas R Perkins, Blue Hill, ME-Roland D Mallar, New Egypt, NJ -
Race 6: Smoking Joey (b, g, 2 - Riggins – You Dont Know Me – Western Terror) 1:56.3
Driver: Corey Callahan – Trainer: Doug Lewis
Owner: CTC Stable, Chestnut Ridge, NY -
Race 7: Fashion Voyager (b, f, 2 - Broadway Hall – BWT Maija – Tagliabue) 2:03.1
Driver: John Campbell – Trainer: Jim Campbell
Owner: Fashion Farms LLC, New Hope, PA -
Race 8: Volted One (br, f, 2 - Village Jolt – Artistic One – Artsplace) 2:01.3
Driver: John Gazzerro – Trainer: John Gazzerro
Owner: John J & Deborah G Gazzerro, Warwick, MD -
Race 9: Southwind Roulette (b, f, 2 - Somebeachsomewhere – Southwind Rio – Artsplace) 1:56.3
Driver: Corey Callahan – Trainer: Doug Lewis
Owner: L A Express Stable LLC, Lincoln University, PA
(with files from HRC)