Freshmen Flaunt It At The Meadowlands

They might have taken different paths to get there, but Altar and Southwind Tyrion both found their way to the winner’s circle in a pair of $160,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes finals at The Meadowlands Friday night.

Altar, a daughter of Muscle Hill-Swan Hot Mama, led at every call in taking the two-year-old filly trot for driver Dave Miller and trainer Per Engblom. After heading to the gate as the 4-5 public choice, Miller urged Altar to the top and never surrendered the lead in a thoroughly dominant performance, hitting the wire 2-3/4 lengths in front of Material Girl in a lifetime-best equalling 1:54.4. Presto finished third.

“I actually wanted to get out of there and get on Yannick’s [Gingras, driving Presto] back,” said Miller. “I thought that would be better. She finished real strong.”

After hitting the half in a rated :58, Altar accelerated and opened up 2-1/2 lengths on the field at three-quarters and had no anxious moments from there. “Not particularly,” said Miller when asked if he intentionally sped clear of the field. “She was so relaxed, I did chirp to her on the far turn, and she did everything on her own from there.”

Altar returned $3.60 to her backers, and now has two wins in three lifetime starts, good for earnings of $92,500 for owners Diamond Creek Racing.

In the two-year-old colt and gelding trot, the Ake Svanstedt trained and driven Southwind Tyrion stayed perfect in two lifetime outings after scoring in a lifetime-best 1:54 coming from off the pace.

The son of Muscle Hill-Taylor Jean was pushed wide into the first turn and took back to mid-pack before emerging from the five-hole approaching the half, flushing cover from Mon Amour, who was looking for a three-race Sire Stakes sweep.

Miller and Heartbreak Hill were sailing along on the lead at three-quarters but brought little from there. After tipping off his cover, Southwind Tyrion exploded home in :27 to record a three-length win over Locatelli, who did well from post 10 as the 2-1 favourite. Spy Booth grabbed the show dough.

Southwind Tyrion, who returned $16.40 as the fifth choice in the wagering, now has earnings of $92,500 for owners S R F Stable and Ake Svanstedt Inc.

A pair of $96,000 NJSS Finals for two-year-old pacers was contested before the betting card, with both winners completing three-race sweeps after taking both of their respective preliminary legs.

First up was Anna Jeans (Great Vintage-Early Go Hanover), who won the filly event in 2:05.2 for driver Jason Thompson and trainer John Urbanski. Fika Time (a Sunfire Blue Chip-Raiders Favorite gelding) stopped the clock in a lifetime-best 1:55.4 in the division for colts and geldings for Tim Tetrick and Chase Vandervort.

There was also a pair of New Jersey Breeders Maturity events for four-year-old pacers, the first of which – for horses and geldings – went to Hurrikane Emperor in 1:50. The son of Hurrikane Kingcole-Hurrikane Schmumma, the fastest horse in the sport this year by virtue of his 1:47 clocking in the Graduate on July 11, was piloted by Mark MacDonald for John McDermott.

A Beach Cowgirl (Somebeachsomewhere-Limestone Cowgirl) established her lifetime best of 1:50 in holding off JK American Beauty by a half-length for Dexter Dunn and Annie Stoebe in the division for mares.

The 2016 Hambletonian champion Marion Marauder won the overnight feature – a high-end conditioned trot – in a lifetime-best 1:50.2.

(With files from The Meadowlands)