$240,000 NJSS Final won by a maiden

The Meadowlands Racetrack hosted the $240,000 Final of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for two-year-old harness racing pacing colts as an early, non-wagering race Thursday, Aug. 22. This race was canceled at the Big M back on August 2 due to a power failure at the track.

And when the dust settled on the non-wagering race, it was McCusker (Cattlewash) and driver Scott Zeron, a maiden, making his fifth lifetime start, who picked the perfect spot for his first career victory.

The ten-horse final saw Tom Horn (David Miller) shooting out to the early lead with Smooth Dream (Joe Bongiorno) getting the early pocket seat but not for long as Manolete and driver Todd McCarthy came on the outside and took over the lead.

But that did not last as Dexter Dunn had Power Code on the outside to take command after an opening quarter mile in :27.

Off to the half mile in :53.4 and Twin Fury (Andy McCarthy) came first-over with McCusker and Zeron following the live second-over cover.

Once they hit the three quarters in 1:22, Zeron tipped McCusker to the outside and it became a three-horse race down the stretch to the wire with McCusker barely beating out a game Manolete by a head in 1:51.3 with Tom Horn a close third in the photo finish.

Trained by George Ducharme, McCusker is a homebred owned by Winters Racing Stable of Foxboro, MA. The time of the mile, 1:51.3, was a record for McCusker, who previously had a qualifying race win in 1:55.

The maiden no more also ended the winning streaks of both Manolete and Power Code.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink