Southwind Tyrion continued his impressive winning ways on Friday night (August 7) at The Meadowlands, upping his lifetime record to three wins in as many starts after taking the $60,000 Garden State – sponsored by the Standardbred Owners and Breeders of New Jersey – for two-year-old colts and geldings on the trot in 1:54.3 over a track labeled ‘good.’
The popular 1-9 favourite swung wide off the far turn and sprinted past his foes through the stretch to record a safe one-length win for trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt. Cricket Fashion was second with Red Redemption third.
Two weeks ago, Southwind Tyrion took the New Jersey Sire Stakes Final in a lifetime-best 1:54. He now has earnings of $122,500 for owners S R F Stable, Ake Svanstedt, Knutsson Trotting and Brittany Farms.
In the first of two $40,000 Garden State divisions for two-year-old fillies on the trot, Lindys Dollywood, the 4-1 third choice in the wagering, came from off the pace to nail Beautiful Game at the wire. The George Ducharme-trained, Scott Zeron-driven daughter of Muscle Hill-Lindys Crazy won for the first time in three career starts after stopping the clock in 1:54.
The Svanstedt-trained Presto made it two wins in three lifetime outings in the second division, hitting the wire in a lifetime-best 1:56.2. Yannick Gingras guided the product of Trixton-Susies Magic to an easy score as the 1-5 favourite.
Dune Hill ran her winning streak to four in the $30,000 Continentalvictory for three-year-old filly trotters, holding off Ms Savannah Belle by a nose in 1:53.4 in winning for the sixth time in 16 starts for trainer Ron Burke with Gingras in the bike. The daughter of Muscle Hill-Quite Possible paid $9.20 as the third choice in the betting.
Hillexotic, a Muscle Hill-Exotic Destination colt trained and driven by Trond Smedshammer, held off the late-charging 3-5 favourite Play Trix On Me in the $50,000 Muscle Hill for three-year-old colts and geldings on the trot. The winner, who was sent to the gate as the fourth choice in the betting at odds of 6-1, won for the first time in four career starts, hitting the wire in 1:53.
A LITTLE MORE: Gingras recorded three wins on the program while Dexter Dunn had one. Heading into the last day of the meeting, Dunn leads Gingras 83-82 in the driver standings. … All-source wagering totaled $2,377,908. … Racing resumes Saturday, Hambletonian Day, at a special early post time of noon. … There will be a 60-minute Hambletonian show telecast on tape delay on the CBS Sports Network at 6 p.m.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)