Alagna armada dominates Kindergarten

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – When you have 31 horses in on a card, you figure to have a good night, and harness racing trainer Tony Alagna did just that Friday (July 15) at The Meadowlands, winning four of the eleven $20,000 divisions of the first leg of the Kindergarten Series for 2-year-olds.

The “Alagna Armada” got things underway in the fourth race when Mambacita (Tactical Landing-Bill’s Lady) made it two-for-two in betting races after scoring in a filly trot in 1:54.2, hitting the wire 3¾ lengths in front of 3-5 favorite Bond.

The filly took the lead while parked out at the half and coasted home from there for driver Dave Miller as the 2-1 second choice.

Hungry Man (Stay Hungry-Big McDeal) lived up to his billing as the 2-5 public choice in the fifth but gave his backers a scare while scoring in a split for colts and geldings on the pace in 1:50.1.

Driven by Todd McCarthy, the colt powered up to the top by 2 lengths at the head of the stretch after going a three-hole trip before having to hold off a late-charging Blue Hunt by a nose.

Alagna completed a natural hat trick with 3-5 favorite Hungry Angel Boy (Stay Hungry-Angel Scent) in the sixth in another division for male pacers.

The colt, who was piloted by McCarthy, cruised around the mile oval on an open lead before holding off Kopi Luwak – who was sharp in deep stretch – by a half-length in 1:50.2.

Caviart Marcella (Stay Hungry-Caviart Malin) capped Alagna’s four-bagger with a 6-1 upset from off the pace with driver Scott Zeron in a division for filly pacers in race 12.

Zeron got his horse into contention on the far turn, and just after 9-5 favorite Reggae Hanover went off stride while challenging leader Seashell, the face of the race changed.

Seashell weakened inside the final sixteenth as Caviart Marcella charged home after getting a second-over trip to get a head win over Cantgetuoutamymind in 1:53.2.

For the night, Alagna-trained horses cashed 18 checks by finishing fifth or better.

A LITTLE MORE: Zeron topped the driver colony with three winners on the program. Yannick Gingras, Todd McCarthy, Andy McCarthy and Miller all had two apiece. … Nancy Takter trained a pair to victory lane. … All-source handle totaled $2,616,474. … Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m. with the $600,000 Meadowlands Pace serving as the marquee event on a card that will feature eight stakes events with purses totaling $2.34 million. If you can’t make it out to the track, the big races will be shown live on Fox Sports 2 from 8-11 p.m.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Dave Little, for The Meadowlands