Be Perfect BG made good on her name on Friday night, July 18 at The Meadowlands, remaining unbeaten in four lifetime starts after taking the lone filly pace when seven $34,247 divisions of the second leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes (NJSS) for two-year-olds were contested for horses of each sex and gait.
Trained by Anthony Beaton and owned by Ecurie CSL of Sorel-Tracy, Que., the daughter of Perfect Sting-JK Mardi Says impressed winning last week after leaving from post 11, and driver Dexter Dunn said it was more of the same this time around.
“She felt just as good [as last week],” said Dunn. “The trip was a little better for her tonight [leaving from post five]. She seems to be learning all the time and she was really good tonight.”
Sitting just behind leader Perfect Thought (Scott Zeron) through an opening quarter of :27.1 and half of :56.1, Dunn opted to pop out of the pocket at the five-eighths, made steady progress on the leader while still less than a length behind at three-quarters, which went in 1:25.2, and roared to the point at the head of the stretch before going on to a convincing 2-1/2-length win in a snappy lifetime-best of 1:51.4. Perfect Thought held second with Beautiful Memory (Andy McCarthy) third.
“She was on the front last week and was good off the helmet tonight,” said Dunn. “She came off [her cover] and sprinted home. For sure, at this stage, there are a lot of positive signs [that point to her having a big year].”
Be Perfect BG, who has gone off as the favourite in each of her career outings, returned $2.60 to her backers after going off at odds of 1-5.
The lone colt and gelding pace division was won by John Cancelliere's homebred Sonofanutcracker (Nutcracker Sweet-Rob Them Blind) in a 1:52.3 maiden-breaking mile with Andy McCarthy driving the 6-1 shot and Tom Cancelliere handling the training duties.
Dunn picked up another stakes win with trotting colt Apex (Walner-Mission Brief) in 1:54.3 after the 1-5 favoured Marcus Melander trainee missed by just a nose in his career debut in the opening leg.
McCarthy also doubled up in the evening's Sire Stakes with the Noel Daley-trained trotting filly Emmas Mystery CCL (Muscle Hill-Mistery Woman) winning at first asking in 1:55.2 as the 3-1 third choice.
The other colt and gelding trot was won by the debuting Kingmen (Walner-Pats Inspiration) in a 19-1 upset, defeating the popular first-leg winner Maga Hill by a head in 1:56 for trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer.
First-time winners took the two other filly trots, with Days Away (Muscle Hill-Danae) and driver Jason Bartlett scoring over popular opening-round winner Sugar Packet by half a length in 1:54.4 at 10-1 odds for trainer Per Engblom and Royal Patti (Walner-Serenity Joy) successful in 1:56 as the 7-5 favourite improving off a runner-up finish in her debut in round one for trainer/driver Jeff Gregory.
Karen Fossli was on target once again in the 2025 Meadowlands Monthly Handicapping Contest, taking first place for a second time this year, again walking away with the top nightly prize of $500 USD. A 20-cent Pick-5 hit of $477 set Fossli up well, as she finished the night with a bankroll of $722.26, so not only did Fossli take home the top cash prize, but also – as per contest rules – took home her profits of $622.26 as well.
Finishing second with a bankroll of $604.50 was Nick Montemurro, who took down the $250 USD second prize. For Montemurro, it was his third top-two finish this year, so he will have three entries (at least) for the end-of-the-year, invitation-only contest on Dec. 13, which offers prize money totalling $10,000 USD. Fossli and Gary Scogna will have two entries (as of now) apiece in the big-money test, which will be limited to 22 entries.
The next edition of the contest takes place on Aug. 30.
All-source handle on the 14-race card totalled $2,687,812 USD.
Racing resumes on Saturday at 6:20 p.m.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)