Breakfast With The Babies at Big M

In a departure from tradition, the races began with pacing colts and JK Victory (Tim Tetrick) took the opener in 1:53.3. Tim sat in with him through the early stages then tipped from behind leader Gone Before Dawn (Jason Bartlett) in the stretch through a :26.2 final quarter for the win. Hunted House (Mark MacDonald) was third. The winner is trained by Nancy Takter for the 3 Brothers Stable and Caviart Farms who bought the JK Endofanera colt at the Hoosier yearling sale from breeder Victory Hill Farm for $115,000.

Ken Jacobs paid $200,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale (LSYS) for a son of his champion of a few years ago, Walner, and christened the colt Ken’s Walner. If this set of circumstances led you to believe the colt might be special, today’s effort would have done nothing to dissuade you from that opinion.

Scott Zeron drove Ken’s Walner to a 2:00.1 win, holding the colt just behind Big Miles (Ake Svanstedt) coincidently owned by Mr. Jacobs as well, then letting him trot through the lane in a flat :27 under his own power for the win. A One A (Yannick Gingras) was third. Linda Toscano trains and Lindy Farms and Adam Victor & Son bred the winner.

Toscano and Zeron came right back to win the third with a sharp looking Huntsville filly named Reenactment in 1:56, final quarter in :27.3. Four Leaf Lindy (Gingras) was gaining late from the pocket to be beaten a half-length with Miki Rose (Dave Miller) third. Fred Hertrich bred the winner, sold to Let It Ride, Chodash and Cohen for $35,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sales (SHS).

The Walner sired filly Gracelyn Hanover (Corey Callahan) was a handy front stepping winner in 1:56.4 using a :28.1 final quarter to hold Dixiechick Hanover (Tetrick) at bay through the stretch with Mighty Angel (Svanstedt) well back in third. The winner is a Hanover bred, purchased by trainer John Butenschoen for Harmony Oaks Racing Stable for $35,000 at (SHS).

Twin B Deluxe (Jason Bartlett) was a homebred winner in 1:56.3 /:27.1, for trainer Andrew Harris with stablemate Xmarxthespot (Tetrick) closing in late for the place and New Normal (Dexter Dunn) was third. The winning son of American Ideal is a Twinbrook Limited homebred.

Walner progeny made it three for three when Wily Wally (Gingras) converted a nice pocket trip into a stretch rally for a 1:58.1 / :28- win for trainer Domenico Cecere. Wishful Order (Dunn) rallied late to be second while mile cutter Southwind Drover (Brian Sears) was off stride while crossing the wire third as On The Deck (Andy McCarthy) was gaining well late under a hold. Lindy Farms and Robert Rudolph own the winner, purchased for $50,000 in Lexington last fall from breeder Glengate Farm.

More Than Ever (Tetrick) impressed with a front-end tour de force for owner/breeder Brittany Farms and Riverview Racing. The filly held sway with a :28 end to a 1:58.2 mile on her own over Brickhouse Babe (Mark MacDonald) with Gettinmystepsin (Andy Miller) third. Tony Alagna trains the winner, a daughter of Father Patrick.

Letsdoit S, from the first crop of Elitlopp winner Nuncio, was an impressive winner for Brian Sears leading throughout and drawing away convincingly under wraps in 1:57.4?. Fast As The Wind (A. McCarthy) closed nicely up the pegs for second while TNT Blue Chip (D. Dunn) held third. The winner is a Stall TZ homebred trained in the Marcus Melander barn.

Misswalner Fashion (Tetrick), by…you guessed it…was ultra-impressive this morning coming from just back of the speed to roar by the field with a :26.4 final quarter on a 1:55.3 mile under no urging. Jim Campbell trains the homebred for Jules Siegel of Fashion Farm fame (thanks Jules) who had included Judith Peres as a partner. Raised By Lindy (Domenico Cecere) was a resolute second and Valentina Blu (A. McCarthy) flashed good late foot to be third.

Blue Skies Shining (D. Miller) led from pillar to post for a 1:58.3 / :28.2 win over a closing Ladybugs N Bourbon (Jimmy Takter) with Behindblueeyes (A. Svanstedt). The Muscle Hill colt was a $230,000 yearling sold by breeders Pozefsky and Wilson to The Delaware Group, Equinex Racing Corp. and Joe Sbrocco. Chris Beaver is the trainer.

The royally bred Venerable, a daughter of Walner from the fast Jolene Jolene flashed some fancy late foot for Dave Miller to get up the inside and eek out a narrow win over Ramona Hill’s kid sister La Vie En Blanc and Malizosa Lindy in 1:58 / :28.1. The backstretch rabble has been good on this one all winter from generally understated trainer Nifty Norman, who know it when he sees it.  Venerable was a $210,000 Lexington purchase by David McDuffee, Mel Hartman, Paul Bordogna and Steve Arnold from breeder Maumee River Stables, Black Creek Farm, Martin Schmucker and Steve Stewart.

Live racing tonight at 6:20 and it’s an interesting card with some 2-year-olds, top 3-year-olds getting ready for stakes and top older performers getting in some work toward next week’s stakes. Get your free programs here.

by Nick Salvi, for The Meadowlands