The baby races continued at Meadowlands Racetrack on Saturday morning with just four qualifiers and Jonas Czernyson trainees Thistle Dhu and Donate swept both of the trotting events.
With Yannick Gingras driving, filly Thistle Dhu swept to command after being shuffled to the back of the three-horse field following early fractions of :30.1 and 1:01.1. She reached the third quarter station in 1:31 while opening up more than four lengths on top and cruised home to win in two minutes flat by one length.
The Donato Hanover-Yankee Topaz miss, who has now won back-to-back qualifiers, was purchased for $60,000 at the 2011 Lexington Selected Sale by W. J. Donovan of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She's a half-sister to $956,174 earner Yursa Hanover.
Donate made his first official charted mile a winning one as he rolled past fractions of :29.1, 1:01.1 and 1:31.2 en route to a seven and a half length score in 1:59.4 with Gingras in tow.
The Donato Hanover-Classical Girl colt, bred by Czernyson, was purchased for $50,000 at the 2010 Harrisburg Sale by Maximum Force Inc. of Delray Beach and Christine Czernyson of Boca Raton, Florida.
Gingras also steered the debuting pacing colt Rocknmyjeans to a five length victory in 1:55.4 (:27.2 final frame) off a pocket trip for trainer Tony Alagna. The homebred son of Rocknroll Hanover out of Venusinbluejeans had a $52,000 price tag at Harrisburg and was purchased by Carver Stables Inc. of Bettendorf, Iowa.
In her second outing, I Got To Boogie also converted from a two-hole trip to win the filly pace event in 2:00.1 (:27.2 final frame) for trainer-driver Chris Ryder. The Bettors Delight-Ideal Coast miss was purchased for $60,000 at the Harrisburg Sale by Richard and Joanne Young of Coconut Creek, Florida.