Don’t blame The Meadowlands if it feels the need to roll out the red carpet on the racetrack on Saturday morning.
After all, the list of stars scheduled to be at the track that morning is a long one.
A quartet of $100,000+ winners will square off in the second qualifier of the morning session, and leading the charge is the Nancy Takter-trained Insta Glam (1:54 - $332,119). The three-year-old daughter of Father Patrick-Hollywood Hill went 5-for-13 last season including multiple scores in the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes.
She’ll spar with fellow six-digit earners Illuminata (1:54.4 - $131,933), Presto (1:53 - $115,190) and Love Muffin (1:55.4 - $114,859).
The third qualifier features the return of Bee Forever (1:54 - $229,328), who was last witnessed upsetting in the $398,650 Valley Victory last November at The Meadowlands. Victor Kirby will be reunited with the Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman trainee.
Last year’s Peter Haughton Memorial champ, Zenith Stride, will also face the gate in that trotting tilt. Brian Sears will sit behind the son of Muscle Hill-Open Access for trainer Mark Harder.
Double millionaire Crystal Fashion (1:51.4 - $2,124,283) leads the charge into the fifth qualifier. Jordan Stratton will guide the Jim Campbell trainee who is a 19-time winner.
Also facing the gate in that event will be 2020 O'Brien Award winner Sorella (1:50.2 - $873,210) in her four-year-old debut, Warrawee Roo (1:51.4 - $781,640) and Play Trix On Me (1:53 - $591,859).
Peaky Sneaky (1:48 - $648,719) headlines a solid group of three- and four-year-old female pacers in the sixth qualifier. The four-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight-World Of Rock, who went 6-for-16 last season, earned a Breeders Crown title among other stake events for trainer Nancy Takter. Scott Zeron is scheduled to sit behind the eight-time winner.
Trainer Nancy Takter sends out a talented duo in the seventh qualifier as stablemates JK First Lady (1:49.1 - $745,113) and last year’s Shes A Great Lady champion, Caviart Audrey (1:51.2 - $372,717) will square off.
All eyes will be on multiple stakes winner Southwind Gendry (1:50 - $583,069) in the eighth qualifier. Yannick Gingras is slated to sit behind the Ron Burke trainee who went 10-for-13 during last year’s freshman campaign. The son of Always B Miki-Gamblers Passion finished off a brilliant two-year-old season with a score in the $193,000 Matron Stake at Dover Downs.
Burke will then send out the talented sophomores Summa Cum Laude (1:50.2 - $482,275) and Lous Pearlman (1:49.1 - $199,294) in qualifier nine.
Summa Cum Laude went 5-for-15 last year with his most memorable score coming in dead-heat fashion with Perfect Sting in the $600,000 Breeders Crown at Hoosier Park.
A set of classy millionaires from the Burke barn will line up in the tenth qualifier as Filibuster Hanover (1:48.1 - $1,922,703) and Dealt A Winner (1:47.3 - $1,392,605) prepare to embark on their 2021 campaigns.
The 11-qualifier session will conclude with a solid group of older pacers including Allywag Hanover (1:48 - $269,495). The Brett Pelling pupil went 5-for-13 last season.
Canadian trainers will be very active during the qualifying session. Among those involved will be Mark Steacy, Luc Blais, Paula Wellwood, Blake MacIntosh, Carmen Auciello and Jared Bako.
Post time for Saturday morning’s qualifiers is 10 a.m.
To obtain entries for the qualifiers, click here or for program proofs, click here.