Nancy Takter trainees swept the first three races on an abbreviated Saturday morning (July 3) qualifying session at The Meadowlands, with the first five heats on the seven-race program dedicated to two-year-olds.
In his first trip behind the starting gate, the 3 Brothers Stables and Caviart Farms' JK Standingovation set the pacing standard for the morning with a pillar-to-post, 1:56 score over his stablemate JK Miki Mantle. Dexter Dunn rated JK Standingovation, a son of JK Endofanera and Safta Perry, through conservative early splits of :30, :59 and 1:28.2 before dismissing pocket rival Party Central (Jason Bartlett) and evading a stout stand-side rally from JK Miki Mantle (Tim Tetrick) — who unleashed a :26.4 closing kick — by 1-1/2 lengths.
Diamond Creek Racing's Balance also won on the pace for Takter, piloted by Tetrick to a 1:58 win over stablemate Always B Idyllic (Dunn), who gained steadily from third to force a :27.1 sprint home and miss by a half length. The daughter of Bettors Delight and West Of L A likewise established a lifetime mark in her first qualifying line.
Solveig's Racing Partners' Mon Cheval and Dunn completed the Takter trifecta, unleashing a potent third-quarter brush to sweep from fourth to first in a :30.1 third sectional before fending off a late push from pocket foe Monimovesmountains (Tetrick) by three-quarters of a length in 1:58.2. The daughter of champions Father Patrick and Shake It Cerry demonstrated versatility in her second qualifying win after having wired her competition in a sparkling 1:54.2 in a June 19 baby race.
Linda Toscano trainee Kens Walner was the fastest two-year-old of the session regardless of gait, trotting a 1:55.3 mile and defeating the royally-bred Patrick Hanover (Father Patrick-Passionate Glide) by a widening three lengths in the act. Scott Zeron drove the son of Walner and Ready To Ignite, who is now two-for-two in morning sessions, for owner Kenneth Jacobs.
Share A Horse Inc.'s Troycen completed the quintet of victorious rookies, saving ground to edge a drifting Fashion Ken in 2:01. Trainer Harry Landy drove the son of Cantab Hall and Love My Muscles.
Trainer Tony Alagna and driver Andy McCarthy swept the two qualifiers for older horses, with three-year-old filly Piper Hanover drilling a 7-1/2-length, 1:54.2 win in the lone trotting event, and New York standout Hen Party digging in through a :27.1 final quarter to fend off a three-wide stretch rally from early-season sensation Let It Ride to win in 1:52.1.
To view Saturday morning's complete results from The Meadowlands, click the following links: Baby Races | Qualifiers.