'Babies' Continue To Prep At Gaitway

Published: June 22, 2020 02:24 pm EDT

Eight qualifying races for two-year-olds were conducted on Monday (June 22) at Gaitway Farm in New Jersey. After the babies were done flashing their stuff, one of the continent's top ranked 'glamour boys' put in some work over the one-mile New Jersey course.

The two-year-olds got the 13-dash session underway, as the youngsters comprised the first eight races on the docket. The track was rated 'fast' throughout the proceedings.

In terms of the 'baby races,' there were two dashes for each division of fledgling Standardbreds.

The fastest of Gaitway's Monday juvenile miles was recorded by a filly, as the Ron Burke-trained and Yannick Gingras-driven Blue Diamond Eyes (Captaintreacherous--Aria Hanover) paced away from her rivals and notched a five-length victory in 1:54.3. Gingras and the bay started from Post 4 and parked past the :30.3 quarter pole. After Blue Diamond Eyes crossed over to the lead, the $180,000 Lexington Selected Sale purchase cut the middle fractions (:59.4, 1:27.2) and continued to roll home with a :27.1 final quarter. Blue Diamond Eyes is owned by Thomas and Scott Dillon.

In keeping the focus on two-year-old fillies, trotting lass Hot As Hill (Muscle Hill--Smarty Pants) recorded the fastest win time among her division. Joe Bongiorno was behind the Ron Burke pupil, and the duo participated in a compact, three-filly race. Hot As Hill left from the rail, dictated all of the speed (:31.3, 1:02, 1:30.2), and held on to win by three quarters of a length in 1:59.1. Hot As Hill was a $100,000 Lexington Selected Sale purchase and is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Lawrence Karr, Knox Services Inc., and Jandt Silva Purnel & Libb.

The quickest two-year-old male pacing mile of the session was recorded by the Tony Alagna-trained and Tim Tetrick-driven Keystone Catalyst (Betting Line--Keystone Caitlyn). The black colt tucked into fifth after a Post 5 start and watched as the opening quarter and half were cut in :30.1 1:00.1, respectively. Tetrick had his charge positioned second-over at the 1:28.1 three-quarters call, and the duo kicked home in :27.1 to get up for a neck victory in 1:56.1. Keystone Catalyst was a $120,000 Harrisburg yearling sale purchase last fall. The colt is owned by Riverview Racing LLC, Brad Grant, Willow Oak Ranch, and Head Leblanc And Hempt.

In terms of the two-year-old male trotting miles, the fastest performance of the session was recorded by the Father Patrick--Tosca colt Caruso, who topped his three rivals with a 1:56.3, gate-to-wire victory. David Miller was in the bike behind the Joe Holloway trainee. Miller and the bay left out from Post 3, cut all of the fractions (:30.3, 1:00.1, 1:27.2), and cruised home with a :29.1 final panel to win by six and three-quarter lengths. Caruso was a $30,000 Harrisburg yearling sale purchase and is owned by Val Dor Farms and Ted Gewertz.

Capt Midnight, who has been installed as the 15-1 fifth pick in TROT Magazine's 2020 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book, took to the track later in the session, and the three-year-old son of Captaintreacherous recorded a tidy win for driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna. The bay colt started from Post 3 and sat third past the :28.2 quarter pole. McCarthy and Capt Midnight moved to the engine in the second quarter and proceeded to click off the opening half in :57 before whizzing past the three-quarters station in 1:23.1. McCarthy and Capt Midnight paced home with a :27.4 final quarter and won by three quarters of a length in 1:51. The Monday mile was the second qualifying performance of the season for Capt Midnight, who won multiple Grand Circuit events in 2019 and banked $385,000 in purses. Capt Midnight is owned by Marvin Katz, Kenneth Jacobs, Bradley Grant, and Capt Midnight Racing.

Joe Bongiorno led all drivers with three wins during the session, while multiple trainers notched two wins apiece.

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