Alagna Armada once again leads baby races

East Rutherford, NJ – Meadowlands Pace morning brought with it another harness racing edition of Breakfast With The Babies sponsored by Jules Siegel’s Fashion Farms. Another overcast, muggy setting to begin with temperatures hovering near 80 degrees over a track listed fast but perhaps, at least at the start of the card, dulled by overnight rains.

Tony Alagna took honors on the day with five winners, led by the imposing presence of the Captaintreacherous filly Sundaykindoflove, who won her second baby race (the trainer’s fourth today) for driver Andy McCarthy this morning in 1:54.3.

After cutting the mile in an eye-catching 1:53.4 two weeks ago, McCarthy settled Sundaykindoflove in third as first Genie Hanover then Moonlight Miki set fair fractions, waiting until mid-way through the second turn to tip and be pushed three-wide as he did so, then letting the big girl roll home in 27 for the win.

Ponynamedwildfire (Tim Tetrick) was exceptional in defeat, closing right with the winner. Sundaykindoflove is owned and was bred by Alagna as Visionary Breeders along with Stephanie and Myron Bell as Riverview Breeding & Racing.

SUNDAYKINDOFLOVE REPLAY

Glamorous Hanover (Tactical Landing) and driver Yannick Gingras won the opener in 1:57.1, for Alagna, despite racing greenly on the lead as they neared the 1:00.1 and surrendering that lead to Local Honey (A. McCarthy) mid-race. Yannick corrected her course, let her settle around the second turn and when he tipped her off cover, the filly re-rallied gamely with a 28 second final quarter to get the win for Al Crawford’s Blue Sky Stables. She was a $180,000 Hanover bred Harrisburg buy.

Kenny Jacobs laid out $255,000 at the Lexington sale last fall to get the ticket on a Brittany Farms bred Walner colt who now races as Benny J and off his first qualifier it looks like money well spent. The colt dragged Dexter Dunn away from post seven, crossed over immediately, proceeded to set honest fractions then end it with a :28.1 sprint for the 1:56.2 win. Sforza (Gingras) racing with a month between starts, sprinted home well while gaining into the fast last panel with good energy to be second. Trainer Tony Alagna’s second on the day.

BENNY J REPLAY

Alagna’s third winner was the Father Patrick filly Graceful Design who led all the way for Andy McCarthy to get the 1:58.1 win under no urging. Dubai (Tim Tetrick) followed the winner throughout to be second. Graceful Design, owned by Pryde Stables, Bottom Line Racing and Coyote Wynd Farms, was bred by Andrew Shrock and was sold at the Lexington sale for $67,000.

Kissincaptain (Captaintreacherous) and driver Todd McCarthy were a 1:54.2 winner for Alagna, his fifth on the day, after following stablemate Sir John B (A. McCarthy) through the 1:27.1 three quarters, then tipping off that one’s cover to scoot by late for the win. The colt was bred by Sunset Stables and went through the Lexington sale for $275,000 to Riverview Racing, Marvin & Lynn Katz and Kissincaptain Stable.

The Six Pack colt Town Branch (Patrick Ryder) rallied from well back to get up comfortably in the final strides for a 1:57.3 win in his first outing. Oh Brother (A. McCarthy) set a fair pace and led past the 1:27.3 three quarters before giving way with Lammtarra (D. Dunn) closing it up well late for third. Town Branch is a Carter Duer homebred trained by Chris Ryder.

Andy McCarthy steered Sig Sauer to a 1:57 win, using his inside post to secure position behind leader It Wasn’t Me (Gingras) through a 1:29 three panels then out gamed that rival narrowly in a stretch-long duel between two very nice colts. Sig is a Muscle Hill colt, bred by Southwind Farms that brought $200,000 in Lexington and is trained in the Noel Daley barn for the interests of Patricia Stable, Joe Sbrocco, JAF Racing, Allister Stable and Caviart Farms.

Lou Vuitton (Gingras) was a winner for the Burke barn in 1:55.4, closing from mid pack to engage My Favorite Dali (Cushing) and battle that rival right to the wire, up by a head. Bred by Spring Haven Farm the Sweet Lou colt brought $175,000 in Lexington from Burke Stable, Hatfield Stable, J&T Silva-Purnell & Libby and Larry Karr.

Tarrific (Dunn) roared by Twin B Roulette (M. Cushing) down the stretch through a :27.2 end to a 1:58 mile to open the pacing races. The Huntsville sister to Cattle Wash is trained in the Ryder barn for owner/breeder Stephen Dye who has takes on a partner in Let It Ride.

The sharp looking Sweet Lou colt, Lou’s World, won the last of the schooling races, leading all the way for Todd McCarthy in 1:54 with a :27.2 end while under no urging. I’m A Captain closed sharply in :26.4 to get up for second. Owned by Gino Toscani and trained in the US by Gary Merner, Jr, Lou’s World brought $27,000 in Lexington from breeder Willow Oak Ranch.

It’s finally here, “The Greatest Party In Harness Racing” starts at 6:20pm with the track’s signature stake, the $668,000 Meadowlands Pace featured as the eleventh race. Free T-shirts, DJ’s fun games and prizes and free programs. You can also watch live on Fox Sports 1 from 10:00 -midnight and Facebook live.

For complete qualifier results, click here.

by Nick Salvi, for The Meadowlands