Aside from getting a little lost on his first trip away from home, Apex has done little wrong in his rookie season for trainer Marcus Melander.
The son of Walner-Mission Brief captured the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship for two-year-old male trotters last month at The Meadowlands and returns to The Big M on Friday, Sept. 5 aiming to come out on top in the $250,000 USD New Jersey Classic final for the freshman boys.
The Meadowlands hosts Classic finals for two and three-year-old trotters and pacers, as well as the fifth round of the Miss Versatility Series for older female trotters, as part of a 14-race pari-mutuel card that will be featured from 8-11 p.m. on Friday on FOX Sports 2 (FS2). Among other horses competing in a Classic final is Yo Tillie, a three-year-old female trotter who is undefeated this season and ranked No. 3 in the sport’s Top 10 poll.
Apex, a $729,167 yearling purchase at the 2024 Standardbred Horse Sale, has won three of five races this year. He lost his career debut by a nose in a New Jersey Sire Stakes prelim at The Meadowlands but bounced back to take his second-round start in the series and the $312,500 final on Hambletonian Day, Aug. 2.
He then ventured to Lexington’s Red Mile for an Aug. 18 start in a leg of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series, where he was vying for the lead while first-over on the final turn before becoming distracted and finishing third.
“The entry and exit is right there turning for home, and he just got a little lost and wanted to go home at that point and lost a bit too much momentum,” said Melander. “When you have a horse like him, you always want to win. But I think he still raced good, came home in :27.2, and has been racing good all year.”
Last week back at The Meadowlands for the Classic eliminations, Apex returned to his winning ways with a 1:54.2 victory by 2-3/4 lengths over Diabolic Hill.
“The way he looked when he won [last week] is the way you expect him to look,” said Melander. “He’s a fast horse and he’s got a ton of ability. He seems to have the right attitude to win races. Sometimes with Walners, they can be a little bit aggressive, but he seems to have pretty good manners. So far, he’s done everything right.”
Apex will start the New Jersey Classic final from post four with regular driver Dexter Dunn. The colt – owned by Jeff Snyder, S R F Stable and Steve Stewart – is the 2-1 morning line favourite.
“He was very good in the elimination last week and he had a good week leading up to the final,” said Melander. “Everything seems fine.”
Apex is eligible to the Grade 1 Peter Haughton Memorial on Sept. 12 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, but Melander will make a decision about the horse’s future after the Classic. The Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series final is Sept. 14 and the Grade 1 Mohawk Million at Woodbine Mohawk Park is Sept. 20.
“We have options and we’re very thankful for that,” said Melander. “We’ll see how he races on Friday and we’ll make a decision after that.”
Elsewhere on the Friday card, Yo Tillie will bring a 10-race win streak to the $250,000 USD Classic final for sophomore trotting fillies. She has picked up seven of those victories this year and is the 2-1 morning line favourite for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Andrew Harris. The 7-2 second choice is Conversano, the New Jersey Sire Stakes champion who won the Grade 1 Hambletonian Oaks on Aug. 2 at The Big M.
Also looking to add a Classic victory to a NJSS title are Worklifebalance in the $150,000 USD Classic for three-year-old female pacers and Emmas Mystery CCL in the $250,000 USD Classic for two-year-old female trotters.
In the $40,000 USD fifth leg of the Miss Versatility Series, Elista Hanover will aim for her fourth win in five starts since finishing second by a neck in the Grade 2 Graduate Series final in early July. The winner of the Grade 1 Hambletonian Maturity, Elista Hanover is the 8-5 morning line favourite for driver David Miller and trainer Annie Stoebe.
Racing begins at 6:20 p.m. on Friday at The Meadowlands. For free TrackMaster past performances for The Big M, click here.
(USTA)