Horses with high expectations for this season continue to make debut appearances at tracks across the continent, and Saturday's qualifying session at The Meadowlands was certainly not short on star power.
Pepsi North America Cup-eligible pacing colt Captain Barbossa lined up behind the starting gate on Saturday (June 6) for his first charted mile of 2020. Sitting fourth early, Captain Barbossa started his first-over grind approaching the third quarter, wore down pacesetter Buy In (Tyler Buter) and then held off the late charge of stablemates Chief Mate (Scott Zeron) and Captain Kirk (Dexter Dunn) to win by a half-length in 1:51.2.
Trained by Tony Alagna for owners Alagnafrankinthegym Stable, Robert Leblanc and David Anderson, Captain Barbossa (Captaintreacherous - Swinging Beauty) amassed a summary of 3-5-2 from 14 freshman starts and never misssed a cheque for his connections. He's one of three Tony Alagna trainees sired by Captaintreacherous in the Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book Top 10, sitting eighth at odds of 25-1.
Trotting filly Sister Sledge was among the best in her division in 2019 and her performances thus far indicate more of the same could be in store this year. Driver Yannick Gingras landed the filly into fourth early as Winter Olympics (Ake Svanstedt) made the first call in :28.4. Sister Sledge was angled out for a backside brush and cleared to the lead before a :57.2 half. There was never an anxious moment after that as Sister Seldge looked well in hand at the 1:26.1 third station, leading by three turning for home and winning by more than four in 1:53.1. That mile time equaled her life's best set at Woodbine Mohawk Park last fall.
Ron Burke trains Sister Sledge (Father Patrick - Behindclosedoors) for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Jason Melillo, JandT Silva Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. She's never missed the board (8-3-1) in 12 lifetime starts.
Maesteraemon is keeping the Hambletonian hopes alive in the Marcus Melander stable as the three-year-old trotting colt won his second qualifier of the year with a seemingly facile effort. Driver Brian Sears dropped into third with Maesteraemon, allowing Back Of The Neck (Ake Svanstedt) to trot through panels of :28.4, :57.4 and 1:26.1. As the horses hit the homestretch, Sears tipped Maesteraemon out from the rail and he responded with a quick turn of foot when presented with that daylight. Maesteraemon hit the wire a length to the good in a time of 1:53.3.
Owned by SRF Stable, Maesteraemon (Andover Hall - Angel Pie) won four of nine starts in 2019 including a sharp 1:52.4 score at The Red Mile in October.
Melander also sent out four-year-old trotting mare Grand Swan, who qualified impressively against pending divisional rivals Plunge Blue Chip and Beautiful Sin. Sears and Grand Swan were wire-to-wire winners, setting a tempo of :28.2, :57.3 and 1:26.1 before sprinting home in :26.3 to earn a new speed badge of 1:52.4 for owners Never 2 Late Stable, Grand Swan Racing, Bruce Soulsby and Alan Weisenberg.
“She has a great gait and a great attitude and is perfect to drive,” Melander said of Grand Swan after last week's qualifier. “I’m very confident. If we can start to race her in the four-year-old races [then] we’ll see what happens, but she feels like a really good horse and I think she’s going to show it.”
Trotting star Atlanta was originally entered in that 10th qualifier of the morning but was announced as a scratch. Trainer Ron Burke told Trot Insider that the mare was a "little under the weather" earlier in the week so she was scratched as a precaution. She'll be reentered to qualify at Gaitway Farm on Monday.
Other notable performances came from 2019 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final winner Moon Bridge (Dexter Dunn / Ake Svanstedt), winning in 1:55; The Veteran (Scott Zeron / Paul Kelley) was the fastest trotter of the session by virtue of his 1:52.3 victory; and Kings County (David Miller / Domenico Cecere) made a triumpant return to the races after being sidelined for the majority of his sophomore season with a 1:53.1 mile, defeating 2019 Beal winner Marseille.
For the results from the Saturday qualifying session, click the following link: Saturday Results - Meadowlands Racetrack (Qualifiers).