Six divisions went postward during Thursday’s second leg of the Kindergarten Series for two-year-old trotters at The Meadowlands, with the boys sparring in three of them in the girls in the other three.
The fillies were up first in their $10,000 splits, and Handover Belle drew first blood thanks to her 1:56.2 score in come-from-behind fashion for the tandem of driver Mike Lachance and trainer Tony Alagna. The daughter of Andover Hall-Harbour Belle studied a tempo-setting Fairley Legal through fractions of :29.3, :58.2 and 1:28.1 before uncorking a :27.3 final frame kick en route to the win by 2-3/4 lengths over Deja Vu Too. Fairley Legal had to settle for the show dough.
It was a maiden-breaking score for the homebred who is owned by Marcia Glassner Stable of Bettendorf, IA and Howard Taylor of Philadelphia, PA. Sent off as the 3-5 favourite, Handover Belle’s banked $7,500 to date.
Southwind Cocoa also used off-the-speed tactics to capture her division at odds of 14-1 for driver Corey Callahan. The daughter of Chocolatier-Missymae Bluestone watched the heavily favoured Shared Past supply splits of :29, :58.3 and 1:27.3 before using a :27-second closing quarter of her own to register the win by a head over Shared Past. Third prize went to With Sugar, who came up a neck short.
Linda Toscano trains the inexpensive youngster for owner Richard Gutnick of Blue Bell, PA. The filly was purchased for a mere $6,000 from last year’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale.
True Day Dream extended her winning streak to three-in-a-row thanks to her front-stepping victory in the third division. Trained and driven by Dan O’Mara, the daughter of Infinitif-Tenacious Victory led through intervals of :29.4, :59.1 and 1:27.4 before scooting home in a :29-second clip to win comfortably over Online Exclusive and Pure Romance.
Sent off as the 4-5 favourite, True Day Dream improved her rookie record to 3-1-1 in five tries. Joseph Hess of New Milford, NJ owns the freshman who was a $3,700 purchase from last year’s Blooded Horse Sale.
After making a break and finishing up the track in his debut, Spider Blue Chip got his mind back in the game and romped to an easy victory in the first division for the colts and geldings in a time of 1:56.1. David Miller hustled the son of Andover Hall-Southwind Catlin to the lead and through fractions of :28.4, :58 and 1:28 before unleashing a :28.1 closing quarter en route to the going away decision over Sailer Eddie and Super Classic.
Chuck Sylvester trains the colt, who was a $60,000 purchase from last year’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale, for owners David McDuffee of Delray Beach, FL and Mel Hartman of Ottawa, ON.
Dexter Lake Club staged a late rally to take home top honours in the second division in a time of 1:57.3 for Team Campbell. John Campbell flipped the switch on the son of Credit Winner at the head of the lane and he used a :28.4 closing panel to defeat Whole Lotta Nasty and Crazed N Lindy.
It was a maiden-breaking victory for the Jim Campbell trainee, who was a $60,000 purchase from last year’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Runthetable Stables of Montvale, NJ owns the colt who is the first foal of the multiple OSS-winning mare, Lakeside Bride (1:59.1 - $120,393).
Banco Solo turned a two-hole trip into a career-best clocking of 1:55.2 in the final division for driver Ron Pierce and trainer Ken Oscarsson. The son of Master Glide-Silver Thatch stalked the tempo-setting Pine Credit through fractions of :29, :57.3 and 1:26.2 before rallying past that foe in the final strides. Pine Credit held on for second, with Andy Revrac grabbing the bronze medal.
Atlantic Trot Inc of Pompano Beach, FL bred and owns the colt, who now boasts a 2-0-0 record from just four starts.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results – Meadowlands Racetrack.