$240,000 NJSS Finals held at Big M

The Meadowlands played host to the four $240,000 finals of the New Jersey Sire Stakes Friday (July 22) evening for two-year-old harness racing pacers and trotters.

The 4th race first final for two-year-old trotting colts saw Point Of Perfect (Joe Bongiorno) scoot to the early lead and then gave way to Celebrity Bambino (Yannick Gingras) past a first quarter in :27.2.

Race favorite Oh Well (Muscle Hill) and driver Tim Tetrick came first-over before the half mile in :57.1 and was rated there, unable to clear to the lead until after the three-quarters in 1:25.3.

Oh Well was then in full control coming down the stretch, holding off Up Your Deo (Ake Svandstedt) to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.1. Up Your Deo was second but placed ninth. Point Of Perfect was third placed second and Celebrity Bambino was fourth placed third.

It was the second win in three lifetime starts for Oh Well. He is trained by Marcus Melander for the S R F Stable of Lighthouse Point, FL and paid $5.40 to win. Oh Well was a $530,000 yearling purchase.

OH WELL REPLAY

In the NJSS $240,000 final for two-year-old pacing fillies, it was the lone filly sired by Keystone Velocity, Ucandoit Blue Chip, who beat nine Lazarus N-sired fillies in a four-length romp.

The 6th race began with Fox Valley Adele and driver Marcus Miller taking early control with Devilish Dreams (Andy McCarthy) leaving from the outside and taking the lead away at the quarter in :26.2. But Miller wanted the front and came right back to the lead with Fox Valley Adele.

Then it was the race favorite, Ycandoit Blue Chip and driver Scott Zeron zooming first-over to take the lead away before the half mile in :55.3.

Then after the half mile marker, Fox Valley Adele broke stride and fell to the track and that disrupted the remainder of the field as Ucandoit Blue Chip cruised by the three-quarters in 1:25.1 and then pulled away to win by four open lengths in 1:52. Lisa Lane (Patrick Ryder) was second with Get Answers (Dexter Dunn) third.

UCANDOIT BLUE CHIP REPLAY

It was a clean sweep of the series for Ucandoit Blue Chip. She has now won three straight races for trainer Linda Toscano and owner Bill Elliott of Woodstock, ON and paid $2.60 to win. She was a $32,000 yearling purchase.

While driver Marcus Miller was able to walk away from the accident, the filly Fox Valley Adele had to be euthanized.

In the 8^th race final for the two-year-old trotting fillies, Walner Payton (Walner) and driver Dexter Dunn took the early lead away from Quick Stop (Todd McCarthy) and then wired the field with ease.

Once in command of the race, Walner Payton went unchallenged to the half mile in :57.2. Then before the three-quarters, race favorite Mambacita (David Miller) came first-up to challenge in 1:25.4.

Coming down the stretch Walner Payton and Dunn were in command, going on to win by two lengths in 1:54.1. Mambacita was second with Bubzarellie (Scott Zeron) third.

WALNER PAYTON REPLAY

It was the second straight win for Walner Payton, who is trained by Chris Ryder for owner Kenneth Jacobs of Baldwinsville, NY, paying $7.80 to win. Walner Payton was a $510,000 yearling purchase. The time of the mile tied her lifetime mark.

In the 10^th race $240,000 NJSS final for two-year-old pacing colts, Voukefalas (Lazarus N) picked the perfect time to get his first pari-mutuel win for driver Jordan Stratton.

The 4/5 race favorite, Lifes A Puzzle, was first on the lead for driver Tim Tetrick to the first quarter in :26.4 before Stratton moved to take the lead with Voukefalas to the half mile in :54.1.

Handlelikeaporsche and driver Dexter Dunn came first-over before the three-quarters in 1:22.3 but Lifes A Puzzle slipped out to challenge Voukefala in the stretch.

That was when Voukefala found another gear and pulled away to win by three and three-quarter lengths in 1:50. Handlelikeaporsche was second with Lifes A Puzzle third.

VOUKEFALA REPLAY

It was the maiden win in three lifetime starts for Voukefalas. He is trained by Michael Russo for owner and breeder Michael Pagonas of Saddle River, NJ, paying $6.20 to win.

The time of 1:50 was the fastest mile this year by any two-year-old.

Pagonas said that he named the colt after Alexander The Great’s horse.

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink