Many of racing’s newest faces battled for some serious dough at The Meadowlands on a wet Thursday evening, as the New Jersey oval played host to a quartet of $200,000 New Jersey Sires Stakes finals
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Here’s a recap of the finals:
$200,000 NJSS Final for Two-Year-Old Trotting Colts and Geldings
After setting a New Jersey Sires Stakes record one week ago, Il Villaggio returned to The Meadowlands and turned in a gusty performance to capture the $200,000 final for the duo of driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Erv Miller.
Tetrick was out the route while race favourite Break The Bank K was allowed to front step the field through fractions of :28, :57.2 and 1:27.1. Il Villaggio was relentless in pursuit, and he eventually collared Break The Bank K en route to posting a 1:56 victory. Break The Bank K was a half-length back in second, while Holiday Road rounded out the top three.
“He went a very tough mile, he was out a long way,” said driver Tim Tetrick. “At the top of the lane he tracked down the colt that Ronnie [Ron Pierce on Break The Bank K] was driving, he’s a very nice trotting colt. He just tracked him down, he didn’t give up and he kept digging and got him at the wire. I got him to the gate a little to early the first time, and last week and this week he was much better.”
Bred by Diane Ingham and Harry Rutherford of Mount Pleasant, ON, Il Villaggio sold for $100,000 at last year’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale. He has banked $116,550 to date for the partnership of Brittany Farms and Il Villaggio Partners of Versailles, KY and Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc. of Wallkill, NY.
$200,000 NJSS Final for Two-Year-Old Pacing Fillies
Ron Pierce engineered a 20-1 shocker with the Ross Croghan-trained One Last Kiss in the freshmen division for filly pacers. It was a maiden-breaking score for the daughter of Artsplace-Juliets Fate, who used a :27.4 final frame to pass six foes in the final quarter of the mile. BJs Canouan was a neck back in second, with third-place finisher China Art beaten that same margin.
“I drove her last week, and Ross Croghan told me that he’d had some problems getting her steering straightened out,” said driver Ron Pierce. “I raced her and I liked her, and Ross told me that she’d be real good for the final. I saw him in the back paddock tonight and he said ‘she seems real good and you should win the race if you drive her right’. She picked up some live cover, and the cover took us right to where we needed to go and then she did the rest herself.”
A $47,000 purchase at the 2008 Lexington Select Yearling Sale, One Last Kiss is owned by Mentally Stable Inc. of Delray Beach and Robert Cooper Stables LLC of Boca Raton, Florida. She has banked $109,825 in her first three starts.
$200,000 NJSS Final for Two-Year-Old Trotting Fillies
John Campbell mapped out a perfect second over trip for Costa Rica, and the Jimmy Takter-trained daughter of Muscles Yankee-Examination took advantage of it en route to posting a career-best clocking of 1:58.2. She kicked home in :28.3 to defeat Lindys Two Step and race favourite Reve Pride.
“She’s very professional, she had a miscue in her first start in the Acorn but we made some adjustments on her,” said driver John Campbell. “Last week with the week off it helped her, and she was even stronger tonight than she was in her first New Jersey Sires Stakes. Once I got the plugs out tonight, she did everything on her own.”
“She’s a typical Muscles Yankee filly,” said trainer Jimmy Takter. “The mother is a sister to Rotation, so she has a little of Balanced Image’s tough blood in her. She’s a strong girl and I like her a lot.”
The victory bumped the filly’s bankroll to $124,880 for partners Christina Takter of Easter Windsor, NJ and John and Jim Fielding of Toronto, ON. The youngster was purchased for $23,000 at last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
$200,000 NJSS Final for Two-Year-Old Pacing Colts and Geldings
Dan Dube picked up a very live catch drive behind Rock N Roll Heaven, who uncorked a :26.2 final quarter to pass six rivals over the final two furlongs of his eight-furlong affair. Bruce Saunders conditions the son of Rocknroll Hanover-Artistic Vision, who pulled off the 7-1 upset over even-money favourite Blue Rock. Rockin Image grabbed the third prize.
“He was very serious last week,” said trainer Bruce Saunders. “John [Campbell] did a great job developing this colt and racing him from behind and teaching him to be a racehorse. Unfortunately a commitment prevented him from driving, and Dan picked up the drive and put him in the right spot. When he pulled the trigger he was gone. He gets a little time off, he has the Metro and the Governor’s Cup and maybe something in Lexington and the Matron. We’ll try and get seven or eight quality starts in him and shut him down healthy and sound.”
Frank Bellino of Bronxville, New York holds the papers on the rookie, who has stashed away $114,786. Rock N Roll Heaven was a $57,000 purchase from last year’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale.
To view Thursday’s harness racing results, click here.