Another hazy Saturday morning session with the two-year-olds at The Meadowlands, with the temperature in the mid-80's, began at 10:00 a.m.
Ron Pierce and Noel Daley opened the card with a pair of wins with colt trotters. The first was Way Outta Here, a Broadway Hall gelding from Im A Pearl, who added trotting hopples and led all the way, sprinting home under his own power in :27.2 on the end of a 1:59.2 mile. Sharlene Vanderkemp owns that one.
They came right back with Severus Hanover to win race two for Adam Victor & Son Stable. This one was a $20,000 Harrisburg purchase from the impressive first crop sire raced by the same connections, Explosive Matter, out of Sorbet Hanover. Severus cut the mile and closed his 1:58 mile with a 29.1 quarter to win by over nine lengths.
John Campbell won with the sharp looking Muscle Hill-Girlie Tough filly Heavens Door in 1:57.2 for Ross Croghan. She led all the way and was under no encouragement in this test. Let It Ride Stables, Robert Cooper Stables, J&T Silva Stables and Joseph Myers own the $90,000 Harrisburg Sale purchase.
Pacing colts lined up in the seventh and they went right at it. Well Said Stride made the early lead then released Journey Man past the :57.3 half. That colt led until mid-stretch where first Shadios then Im All Heart wrestled the lead away to win in 1:54.3 with a :28.2 last quarter. Ray Schnittker drove, trains and owns the son of Bettors Delight out of Sealed In My Heart in partnership with Creative Racing Stable.
Over $1 million was spent on the eight pacing colts that faced the gate in race eight. Thats My Opinion set slow fractions with So Surreal stalking him from the start. After a restrained 1:28 three panels, Schnittker tipped So Surreal, a Somebeachsomewhere half-brother to Well Said, and he went by willingly into a :26.4 last quarter. He was an impressive winner in 1:55.4 on June 1 and looked just as good in his 1:55 return today. Schnittker owns the colt, who was a $125,000 Harrisburg Sale purchase, with Ted Gewertz, Steve Arnold and Jonathan Kurnit.
Pacing fillies came next and Easter Surprise scored a come from behind 1:55.3 win with Corey Callahan driving for Chuck Sylvester. The Allamerican Native filly from Ultimate Test is owned by his trainer with John Tronco and Pinstripe Stable.
Gordjus closed out the babies with a geared down 1:58.2 off the pace win for Simon Allard. Robbie Siegelman trains the Dragon Again-Matinee homebred for Barry Rubenstein Farms.
The charts and video replays can be accessed at The Meadowlands website.
To view Saturday's qualifying results, click on the following link: Saturday Results (Qualifiers) - Meadowlands Racetrack.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)