The Meadowlands carded 12 second leg New Jersey Sire Stakes events for two-year-olds on Friday, July 17.
Platinum division races went for a purse of $35,211, while Silver splits were contested for $14,085. Two divisions were held as non-betting races prior to the evening's 15-race pari-mutuel card.
In race three, a colt and gelding Platinum pacing division, the Megan Scran-trained Aintmyfirstro Deo, off a sparkling front-end 1:54.1 score in his pari-mutuel debut last week in round one, won again, but used a far different tactic to get the job done.
Sitting fifth in the field of six to the three-quarter-mile mark, driver Scott Zeron called on the gelded son of Perfect Sting-Some Renditions for late pace when they reached the top of the lane, and he responded in a big way, using a stretch-length rally to record a safe neck victory over Velvet Ditch (Tim Tetrick) in a lifetime-best 1:52.3. We Want Eazy (Todd McCarthy) rounded out the top three.
“He’s a nice horse. Megan has done a nice job with him,” said Zeron speaking of the horse, as well as his significant other. “[He was gelded because] he was not easy to break. He would lay down on the track and not get up. It’s interesting when you drive a baby. Last week [with this horse] I took control [on the front] too early [but we won anyway]. This week, I was lucky enough I was still in striking distance when we turned for home.”
As the 3-5 favourite, Aintmyfirstro Deo returned $3.20 to his backers.
Owned by Hutchison Harness of North Ridgeville, Ohio, the undefeated rookie was a $37,500 yearling purchase from the Lexington Selected Sale.
Perfect Body didn’t pace a straight line in the stretch, but didn’t need to while taking a Platinum division for filly pacers in race five.
The Chris Choate trainee worked her way into a second-over trip after the half-mile marker, tipped off that cover shortly after the field straightened up into the stretch, and despite bearing out for the final eighth-of-a-mile, had more than enough pace to record a three-quarter-length score over 9-5 favourite Sterl The Pearl (Joe Bongiorno) in 1:51.4. Perfect Hop Deo (Andrew McCarthy) settled for third after a front-end journey out of post 10.
“She seems like she’s pretty nice,” said winning driver Brett Beckwith of Perfect Body. “She’ll figure out [how to stay straight] as she goes. We’ll see how it shakes out. It's tough. If it was me, I would let her figure it out as she goes, but, it’s up to Chris, obviously.”
Perfect Body, a daughter of Perfect Sting-Sweet Body, returned $12 to win as the 5-1 third choice in the wagering after hitting the board in her debut last week.
A $28,169 yearling acquisition from the Standardbred Horse Sale, she is owned by Randall Beach of Sparta, New Jersey, Craig Smith of Warwick, New York, Charles Rowe of Port Murray, New Jersey and Carl Austin Jr. of Stewartsville, New Jersey.
A pair of Platinum divisions for colt and gelding trotters were won by Lifetime Dreamer (Ecurie D DK-Lifetime Gift), who broke his maiden in 1:52.4 with Yannick Gingras driving for trainer Ake Svanstedt, and Wrong Sounds Right (Tactical Landing-Broadway Jo Ell), a 1:54.2 first-time winner from the Jim Campbell stable with Todd McCarthy aboard in the non-wagering split.
In the Platinum divisions for filly trotters, Wall Of Fame (Walner-Saadet) improved to two-for-two, taking a new mark of 1:52 for the husband and wife, driving and training team of Andy and Julie Miller. The Noel Daley-trained Grandiflora (Muscle Hill-Floribunda S) broke her maiden in 1:52.3, giving Todd McCarthy a Platinum driving double.
Dexter Dunn drove three Silver division winners, including filly pacer Soap In My Eyes (Perfect Sting-Seadog Lady) in 1:53.3 for trainer Tony Beaton. He also won with a pair of trotters from the Marcus Melander stable, colt Delta (Tactical Landing-Bayou) in 1:55 and filly Turtle Dove (Walner-When Dovescry) in 1:56.1.
Maxman (Walner-Lovely Lindy) was the other Silver trotting colt winner in 1:56 with Tim Tetrick in the bike for trainer Linda Toscano while Whoopdedoo Hanover (Six Pack-Woohoo Hanover) took the other trotting filly split in 1:55.4 for Gingras and trainer Blake MacIntosh.
Another non-betting division, this one in the Silver set for male pacers, went to Jerzy George (Lazarus N-Holy Trinity) in 1:54.1 with Andy McCarthy driving for conditioner Chris Freck.
Track announcer Ken Warkentin treated his fans to a big night at the windows, giving out seven winners.
All-source handle on the 15-race card totalled $2,479,094 USD.
Racing resumes on Saturday at 6:35 p.m.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack; photo of Aintmyfirstro Deo winning on July 17)