The Saturday, July 2 edition of Breakfast With The Babies at The Meadowlands started with a bit of a chill in the air with the temperature in the high 60s and a significant breeze in their face through the stretch that gradually eased as the temperature rose during the card.
Walner impressed for the second time in as many appearances this morning in 1:57.4. The son of first crop sire Chapter Seven drifted away from the gate for Tim Tetrick then took over from Hes Gone just past the quarter. Tetrick let Walner go along as he pleased through the middle half in :59.2 then pressed the accelerator as they straightened up for a :28.1 final quarter response. Hes Gone (Dave Miller) held for second with Labero (Jimmy Takter) third. Linda Toscano trains the winner for Ken Jacobs who bought him for $90,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale last fall.
Jimmy Takter struck early and often opening the day with the $230,000 Cantab Hall - Moms Millionaire filly Thats All Moni winning in 1:57.2 for Yannick Gingras. The talented lass has been handled with care in each of her three appearances by Gingras and was held in fourth through the :59.3 half then followed the cover of Overdraft Volo (Andy Miller) around the final turn before fanning off her and marching by that rival with a 28-second close into the considerable head wind. Ellerie Hanover (Dave Miller) and Aperfectpak (Tim Tetrick) trotted home nicely as well. Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld hold the papers on the winner.
That trainer / driver duo connected again with Electric Lemonade in race two. This Cantab Hall filly from Birthright was making her very first appearance for owners Christina Takter, John & Jim Fielding and Herb Liverman, who paid $52,000 for her at the Lexington sale last fall. Yannick let her go forward from the gate and led through a :32.2 opening quarter before releasing Aight Hanover and Ake Svanstedt who trotted a :59.4 middle half. In the stretch, those two battled to the wire with Electric Lemonade just edging by her game rival in 2:00.3. Casaubon (Tetrick) was third.
Hillarys Bid was successful this morning at The Meadowlands for John Campbell, leading all the way in 2:01.3. The Lucky Chucky filly from Hillarys Halo dug in to hold Morning Glow (Tetrick) at bay with Deeply (Svanstedt) third and Seaside Breeze (Scott Zeron) flashing good late foot for fourth. The winner is trained in the Ross Croghan stable for Dockside Stable.
Campbell came right back to win with Sunshine Delight leading all the way in 1:59.2 with an impressive :28.4 final quarter for trainer Staffan Lind. She’s a Credit Winner from On The Bright Side that cost James Wilhite Jr. $125,000 at the Lexington sale. Eddiction (Gingras) followed along to be second and Magic Presto (D. Miller) held for third.
Trotting colts were up next and Andy Miller drove Sheer Assault to a 2:00.4 win in his first career outing for his wife, trainer Julie Miller. Leaving from post seven, Miller went forward and wound up in a pocket to Break Free (Andy McCarthy) before storming past that rival early in the stretch. Body Slam (Svanstedt) trotted up late to be third. From the Chapter Seven first crop, Sheer Assault came with a $205,000 price tag last fall in Kentucky for Andy Miller Stable, R. Allen and breeders Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld.
Simply Volo won the sixth for Corey Callahan and trainer John Butenschoen. Well back early as Exotic Wager, Mushana and Brown Bear exchanged leads, Simply Volo charged through the :29.4 final quarter to track down Brown Bear (Brett Miller) and get the 2:00.4 win in his very first try. Mushana (Trond Smedshammer) stuck around for third. The winner is a Crazed colt from Sterling Volo owned by the partnership of Miller, Means, Schick and Kentuckiana Farms who got him for $30,000 at last fall’s Lexington Select sale.
Vero Amore Bi was a 1:59.1 winner with Tim Tetrick aboard for the Tony Alagna barn. Tim moved him to the front on the backstretch then held off Live For Greatness with a :29 final quarter. Tiki Taka (Marcus Miller) closed for third. The winner (Manofmanymissions - Muscovite) was a $20,000 bargain buy in Lexington for the trainer along with Crawford Partners and Mystical Marker Farms.
Pacing fillies took over with the ninth and Chris Ryder made a statement driving Thats The Ticket to a convincing 1:58.1 victory. Chris left from post six into a pocket but didn’t sit for long, brushing his filly to the front through a 1:00.4 middle half before sprinting home. Ann Hill (Brett Miller) and Everyones Watching (Zeron) followed her in. Thats The Ticket is a Winbak homebred Roll With Joe from Art Account.
The homebred Well Said filly Beautiful Lass was a winner for owner Tom Hill in 1:57 this morning. Brett Miller sent her to the front early, rated even fractions then used a 28.4 final quarter to seal the deal. Get A Clue (Gingras) was second and Caviart Malin (D. Miller) third. Tony Alagna trains the winner.
Somesleazetoplease has a naughty moniker, as do all the daughters of Christina Takter’s broodmare West Side Glory led by the million-dollar winning See You At Peelers. This filly, the first by Somebeachsomewhere from that mare, looks like the real deal as Brett Miller moved her to the front through a :28 third panel then tacked on a :28.1 to close out the 1:56.1 mile. Awash (Gingras) was close up throughout and held second over the closing Sweetest Emotion (Tetrick). Jimmy Takter trains the winner for and her partners John Fielding and Bud Hatfield.
Tribal War was another Chris Ryder winner today as Dave Miller sent the Rock N Roll Heaven x Mystical Gypsy gelding to the front early on, opened a long lead around the final turn and held safe in 1:57 / 28.4. Chris owns him in partnership with breeder Diamond Creek Racing. Hypothetical (Zeron) closed up nicely to be second.
Photobombr Hanover looked fantastic this morning, taking over as they moved by the half in :59, zipping through a :27.4 third quarter then closing out the mile in 1:55 for Dave Miller with plenty in reserve. He’s a Somebeachsomewhere from Pilgrims Witchie that trainer Tom Fanning haltered on behalf of Howard Taylor and Susan Kajfasz for $30,000 at Harrisburg last fall. Western Hill (B. Miller) and Captain Velocity (Tetrick) were second and third respectively.
Odds On Delray sprinted through the stretch to win in 1:55.4 for Scott Zeron in the fourteenth race. He has the championship gene, being by Somebeachsomewhere from the one-time fastest female harness horse ever, My Little Dragon. Zeron held the colt in third as first Humboldt then TimCat Hanover swapped leads, then cut Odds On Delray loose through the 27.2 final quarter to get up. The winner was a $105,000 Lexington yearling selected by trainer Tony Alagna for Odds On Racing.
Be reminded of tonight’s early first post of 6:30 p.m. and the big fireworks extravaganza immediately following the races.
For full charted results from the baby races, click the following results, Saturday Baby Races - Meadowlands.
(with files from The Meadowlands)