Two-year-old qualifying action flooded both the Meadowlands Racetrack and Mohawk Racetrack Friday morning, and both raceways hosted the sessions under perfect weather conditions.
‘Breakfast with the Babies’ at the Meadowlands Racetrack kicked off with an opening qualifier was for trotting fillies, and Livininthefastlane (Donato Hanover - Nicoles Promise) won for driver Yannick Gingras in 1:58. She finished off her mile with a :27.2 final quarter and was well in hand over Saturday Mornings after having sat the pocket. Livininthefastlane was an $80,000 yearling purchase by Marvin Katz, Al Libfeld and Sam Goldband at Harrisburg and is trained by the Julie Miller stable.
In the second race, the Julie Miller-trained and driven Kelseys Keepsake won in 2:00. The Yankee Glide filly out of Distaff led all the way and dug in gamely for the win over True Blue Stride in a :28.3 final quarter. She is owned by the Andy Miller Stable and Peggy Hood, who had the final bid of $35,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
Taxed To The Max completed the early Pick 3 for Julie’s stable when the Yankee Glide colt won in 2:00.1. Yannick Gingras used the same strategy as he did in the first race: tracking place finisher Muscle Blues and going by late. This colt is from the accomplished broodmare Prime Mistress and cost Andy Miller, Arden Homestead and Steve Demeter $92,000 at Lexington last fall.
Pacers began in race four and the sharp-looking filly Cashaway (Western Ideal - CPA) won impressively with Tim Tetrick aboard in 1:55.4 (home in 27.3). She was a $105,000 yearling sold at the Lexington sale and is trained by Tony Alagna for Brittany Farms and Marvin Katz. Ideal Nuggets and Sawyer followed her under the wire.
Next up was an impressive mile from The Show Returns, Richard and Joanne Young’s $180,000 Lexington sister to their champion mare Put On A Show. Tim Tetrick sent the Rocknroll Hanover - Steinams Place lass to the top from Post 6 by the half in a minute then turned on the jets covering the final half in :56.1 (last quarter in :27.3) going right to the wire with the colt Badiou Hanover and late-rushing filly Bettor Be Steppin.
Bruces Magic won the last of the two-year-old races wire to wire in 1:55.4 with Yannick Gingras aboard for Tony Alagna. He is a Rocknroll Hanover colt from Special Magic that Alagna Racing, Joe Sbrocco, Eagles Soar Partners and Louis Willinger paid $65,000 for at the Lexington sale. Touch Of Luck closed up nicely for the place and Artspeak rallied from well back for third.
An imposing group of trotters lined up for Race 7 with both last year’s Hambletonian winner (Royalty For Life) and Breeders Crown winner (Spider Blue Chip) sharpening up for the $400,00 Hambletonian Maturity on July 5. Those two traded leads through honest fractions, but deep in the stretch the mare Mistery Woman went by both to win in 1:53.2 for John Campbell. Her record this season has been spotty, but today she looked like she’s ready for anything. Jonas Czernyson trains for Millstream Stable and Aldebaran Park, Inc.
Maven came back from Sweden in good form and took a spin around the oval in 1:53.2 willingly holding off Your So Vain with a :28.1 closer for Yannick Gingras. Jonas and owner Bill Donovan have a lot to look forward to this summer with their champion mare, as that division is deep with talented ladies. They will make for interesting races throughout the season.
Qualifiers were delayed slightly when driver Brian Sears showed up at qualifiers to drive the horses he was named on. It was announced on Thursday that Jeff Gural had banned Sears from driving in anything but stakes races at the Meadowlands, Tioga and Vernon.
Officials from the Meadowlands asked Sears to leave, which he did.
Ten qualifying races for two-year-olds were the main attraction Friday morning at Mohawk Racetrack, as the Campbellville, Ont. played host to the anticipated session under pristine conditions.
The two-year-old qualifiers were preceded by four qualifying races for horses aged three years old and up. Three-year-old Angus Hall fillyJoyous Hall won Race 1 by a half length for trainer Bernie Bahr and driver Dave Boughton. Race 2 was won by four-year-old His Highness mare Coverlet, who won by a whopping 18 lengths in 1:56.2 for trainer Pat Shepherd and driver James MacDonald. Three-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding Weather Hanover recorded a two and a half-length victory in 1:54.4 during Race 3 for trainer Mark Austin and driver Chris Christoforou. Four-year-old Mach Three gelding Buckeroo paced to a four and a half-length victory in 1:55 in Race 4 for trainer Ron Kerr and driver Mike Saftic.