Much as it is on the baseball diamond, in New Jersey trotting the dominant force is the Yankees – Muscles Yankee and Yankee Glide.
In this year’s $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Championships for two-year-olds, seven of the of the 20 trotting finalists are by Muscles Yankee and nine are by Yankee Glide.
A New Jersey Sire Stakes record $800,000 will be distributed on Thursday night at the Meadowlands with each of the four stakes carrying a purse of $200,000.
The trotting colts are carded as the fifth race, the pacing fillies in the sixth, the trotting fillies in the seventh and the pacing colts in the eighth.
Muscles Yankee and Yankee Glide – both sons of Valley Victory and out of mares who were by Speedy Crown, and both bred by Charlie Keller’s Yankeeland Farm in Frederick, MD, have great 'batting averages.'
To date, 14-year-old Muscles Yankee, who stands at Perretti Farms in Cream Ridge, New Jersey, has had 640 starters who have banked $50.6 million. He is represented in the New Jersey Sire Stakes finals on Thursday by the colts Homerun Hitter, Flex The Muscle and Wainright as well as the fillies Sky High, Costa Rica, Religulous, Lindys Two Step and Will Of A Woman.
Yankee Glide, who is 15 and owned by the Yankee Glide Syndicate, has had 525 New Jersey-sired starters who have earned $41.8 million. His finalists include his sons Holiday Road, Senor Glide, Temple of Doom and Il Villaggio. His daughters are Cathywithac, IPO Blue Chip, Bar Slide and Croquet Style.
The fields for the 2009 Night of Champions New Jersey Sire Stakes for Two-Year-Olds:
5th Race $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes – 2yo C&G Trot
H-PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Sire-ML
1-4-Homerun Hitter-Yannick Gingras-Ray Schnittker-Muscles Yankee-7-2
1A-5-Holiday Road-Brian Sears-Greg Peck-Yankee Glide-7-2
1B-9-Flex The Muscle-Ray Schnittker-Ray Schnittker-Muscles Yankee-7-2
2-6-Classical-Andy Miller-Erv Miller-Classic Photo-5-1
2A-7-Senor Glide-John Campbell-Jimmy Takter-Yankee Glide-5-1
3-1-Wainwright-Daniel Dube-Erv Miller-Muscles Yankee-10-1
4-2-Classic Viking-George Brennan-Bruce Saunders-Classic Photo-10-1
5-3-Temple Of Doom-David Miller-Jonas Czernyson-Yankee Glide-15-1
6-8-Il Villaggio-Tim Tetrick-Erv Miller-Yankee Glide-5-2
7-10-Break The Bank K-Ron Pierce-Rich Gillock-Revenue-9-5
6th Race $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes – 2yo F Pace
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Sire-ML
1-JK Sure I Can-Andy Miller-Linda Toscano-Rocknroll Hanover-5-1
2-Rock N Soul-Daniel Dube-Mark Harder-Rocknroll Hanover-10-1
3-China Art-George Brennan-Joe Caraluzzi-Artsplace-8-1
4-BJs Canouan-Brian Sears-Ross Croghan-Western Ideal-4-1
5-One Last Kiss-Ron Pierce-Ross Croghan-Artsplace-10-1
6-Lady Ann Christine-Yannick Gingras-Shawn Murray-Artsplace-15-1
7-Lover Of Art-Tim Tetrick-Chris Ryder-Artsplace-2-1
8-By Your Side-David Miller-Joe Caraluzzi-Western Ideal-8-1
9-Big Redhead-John Campbell-Chris Ryder-Red River Hanover-15-1
10-Camsamericangirl-Brandon Givens-Wayne Givens-Cam’s Card Shark-15-1
7th Race $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes – 2yo F Trot
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Sire-ML
1-Reve Pride-Tim Tetrick-Erv Miller-Revenue-2-1
2-Costa Rica-John Campbell-Jimmy Takter-Muscles Yankee-4-1
3-Religulous-Brian Sears-Ross Croghan-Muscles Yankee-15-1
4-Lindys Two Step-Ron Pierce-Linda Toscano-Muscles Yankee-15-1
5-Sky High-George Brennan-Marcus Johansson-Yankee Glide-8-1
6-Cathywithac-Jan Johnson-Jan Johnson-Yankee Glide-15-1
7-IPO Blue Chip-Andy Miller-Julie Miller-Yankee Glide-5-1
8-Will Of A Woman-Mike Lachance-Ron Gurfein-Muscles Yankee-8-1
9-Bar Slide-David Miller-Joe Holloway-Yankee Glide-10-1
10-Croquet Style-Andrew McCarthy-Anette Lorentzon-Yankee Glide-8-1
8th Race $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes – 2yo C&G Pace
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Sire-ML
1-Foreign Officer-Tim Tetrick-Erv Miller-Western Ideal-12-1
2-Tobago Cays-David Miller-Ross Croghan-Rocknroll Hanover-10-1
3-Rockin Image-John Campbell-Jimmy Takter-Rocknroll Hanover-8-1
4-Rock N Roll Heaven-Daniel Dube-Bruce Saunders-Rocknroll Hanover-10-1
5-Mr Salvatore Fra-Ron Pierce-Steve Elliott-Western Ideal-7-2
6-Blue Rock-Brian Sears-Ron Burke-Rocknroll Hanover-5-2
7-Detail Man-Andrew McCarthy-John Butenschoen-Artsplace-15-1
8-Whole Lotta Shakin-George Brennan-Robert Horowitz-Rocknroll Hanover-9-2
9-Highbeta Blue Chip-Ray Schnittker-Ray Schnittker-Western Ideal-10-1
10-Gota Go Bullville-Andy Miller-Stephen Crevani-Matt’s Scooter-12-1
(SBOANJ)