It was another pleasant morning at The Meadowlands for the babies with moderate temperatures and puffy clouds. The races got underway at 10 a.m.
Love Talk was a winner to open the baby race session in 2:03.3 with a final quarter of :29.1 for Mike Lachance. The Cantab Hall-Tennis Lover filly, who was a $30,000 Harrisburg Sale purchase, races for the Bob Bencal stable and is owned by Jeff Gural's Little E, LLC. Her dam is the half-sister to sire Credit Winner ($1,495,295, 1:54).
Race two saw Cee Bee Yes get a workout in for the Merrie Annabelle final next Saturday with a 2:00.3 (:29.1 final quarter) prep. As the top money winner among the entrants, she was offered a bye into the final of that stake, which was accepted by trainer Julie Miller on behalf of Jason and Douglas Allen, owners of the Muscles Yankee-Enbeecee filly. Marcus Miller drove.
Master Kemp was a winner in 2:01.1 with a :28.3 closing panel for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Tony Alagna. He's a Yankee Glide-Armbro Waikiki colt owned by Eagles Soar Partners, Joe Sbrocco, Minisink Farms, and TLP Stable.
The Chuck Sylvester-owned and trained Overgrown won in 2:02 with a :29-second kicker with Lachance aboard. Neal Goldman and Pinstripe Stables are partners in the Andover Hall-Growth Spurt colt, a $27,000 Harrisburg Sale purchase, who is the half-brother to 2008 Yonkers Trot winner Neopoleon ($795,117, 1:53).
Gural, Bencal and Lachance connected again with homebred Muscles Yankee-Opulent Bluestone gelding Opulent Yankee, a winner in 1:58.4.
Just two pacing races went to post and Mark Capone steered the debuting Capozzo home a winner in 1:59.3. Capone trains the Bettors Delight-Anne Mcguire N colt for Sal Capone and Thomas Magliozzo.
Odds On Rhodonite won for new connections in the last of the baby races. The Western Ideal-Odds On Helen colt paced in 1:54.3 (:27.4 final quarter) with Marcus Miller aboard for trainer Jeremey Howard. Mark Winship and Amy Giberson are the newly minted owners.
To view Saturday's qualifying results, click on the following link: Saturday Results (Qualifiers) - Meadowlands Racetrack.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)