Babies to Watch in Meadowlands Kindergarten Series

One of the most exciting times of year in harness racing comes in early to mid-summer, when the latest crop of North American 2-year-olds begin to emerge. The Meadowlands’ Kindergarten Series is often the first stop for these youngsters, who will be making their pari-mutuel debuts on Friday night, July 7^th, at The Big M, in nine, $20,000 first leg divisions.

2-year-old Trotting Colts & Geldings: Races 2, 3, 11

Race 2: The first division of 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings sports a field of seven that sold for a combined $704,000 as yearlings, with one homebred (Flying Kronos S) thrown in for good measure. This son of two-time Prix d’Amerique winner and $3+ million earner Face Time Bourbon bears watching for two reasons: the first being that he hails from the powerful Ake Svanstedt barn, and the second that he posted the fastest final panel of any of these babies, with a :27.3 score in his latest qualifier. Bred by the Swedish group Winged Lion Breeding, Flying Kronos S is the sixth foal out of the Muscles Yankee mare Will Of A Woman 2, 1:58.1 ($23,446)—making him a half-brother to Woman’s Will (Donato Hanover) 3, 1:54.1f ($602,991), etc.

Race 2: Classic Landing (Tactical Landing) is another who bears watching. Trained by Ron Burke, this brown colt is out of the Andover Hall mare Classical Annie 5, 1:53.3 ($366,704) and is a half-brother to the Muscle Hill colt Classic Hill 2, 1:58.4 ($180,777). Bred by the Black Creek Farm of Indiana, Classic Landing sold for $100,000 at the Lexington Select Yearling Sale and won his last qualifier at Gaitway by 12¼ lengths in 1:57.4. The son of $500,000 Breeders Crown and $350,000 TVG Trot winner Tactical Landing carries the blood of champions Mission Brief, Muscle Hill, and Varenne in his pedigree.

Race 3: Pantoran (Walner) is the clear standout in this seven-horse division, which sports a combined total of $367,000 in yearling sales from six of the contestants and one Canadian homebred (Twin B Showboat). Pantoran, trained and driven by Ake Svanstedt for the Timot Stable of Delray Beach, Florida, had a lone qualifier on June 17 at The Meadowlands, and was clocked in front-stepping 1:57.3 with a :28 final brush. Bred by Southwind Farms LLC of New Jersey, Pantoran sold for $110,000 and is the first foal out of the unraced Father Patrick daughter Southwind Gilly.

Race 11: This seven-horse field, with $452,000 in combined yearling sale totals, is a bit more wide-open than the other two divisions, however the sleeper in here might be Senor Fantastic (Tactical Landing). Trained by Dan Daley, this brown colt won his Vernon Downs qualifier on June 24 in 1:57.1 by an incredible 17¾ lengths, trotting evenly throughout, with a :29 final panel. As the sixth of eight foals out of the Conway Hall mare Fancy 2, 1:56.1 ($91,404), Senor Fantastic is a half-brother to the Credit Winner gelding Shivered 5, 1:53.2f ($126,732) and Ginger Tree Moore (Yankee Glide) 4, 2:00h ($35,228).

Race 11: Bargain (Chapter Seven) is just that, as he was nabbed for only $30,000 at the Lexington Select Yearling Sale by trainer Nancy Takter. This bay colt trotted to a 1:59.1 front-end clocking on June 22 at Yonkers in a $77,300 New York Sires Stakes, winning by 8½ lengths for Yannick Gingras. He is the fourth of five foals out of his Muscle Hill dam Batoutahill 4, 1:53.3s ($103,882) and is a half-brother to Flying Formation (Walner) 3, 1:58.1f ($52,531).

Race 11: TCI (Cantab Hall) was a $150,000 Harrisburg Yearling purchase by trainer Ron Burke and has a pair of winning Gaitway qualifiers under his belt—on June 5, timed in 1:59, and on June 19, clocked in 2:00.2, with an impressive :27.2 final brush in the latter. TCI is the eighth of nine foals out of the prolific Dream Vacation mare Nicole’s Promise 5, 1:53.3f ($327,255) and  is a full brother to Global Pandemic 2, 1:54.4f ($212,174) and a half-brother to Livininthefastlane (Donato Hanover) 3, 1:53f ($460,481); Jula Magician (Kadabra) 4, 1:53.4f ($157,326); Piranha Fury (Donato Hanover) 3, 1:54.2f ($144,358); Promise Delivered (Muscle Hill) Q1:54.4 ($129,240); and Mistresswithmuscle (Muscle Hill) 3, 1:55.1s ($104,097).

2-year-old Trotting Fillies: Races 4, 9, 13

Race 4: This event is the first of three divisions for trotting fillies and sports a field of seven, who sold for a combined $980,000 at the yearling sales, including the $510,000 Harrisburg baby Tandem Hanover (Walner), who may or may not be worth her hefty price tag. Trained by Andrew Harris, Tandem Hanover scored a winning 1:58.4 qualifier on June 13 at Harrah’s Philadelphia, before posting a 1:58.4 clocking and third place finish in a Meadowlands qualifier on June 24. She did, however, in that effort, put in a :27 final quarter. Tandem Hanover is the seventh foal out of the unraced Cantab Hall mare Think Twice, making her a full sister to Temporal Hanover 3, 1:52.2s ($972,166) and a half-sibling to Hill Street (Muscle Hill) 3, 1:54.3f ($149,607) and to Twice Is Right (Donato Hanover) 2, 1:56.1 ($79,279).

Race 9: A field of eight fillies will vie in this division, with yearling prices totaling $871,000, including the $525,000 yearling Stardust Volo (Muscle Hill), who sold at the Lexington Selected Sale to Todd Luther and company. This bay filly turned in a pair of decent qualifiers at Scioto Downs, on June 19 and July 3, winning the latter in 1:58.3, and finishing second in the former in 1:58.2. Stardust Volo is a daughter out of the Donato Hanover mare Sterling Volo 3, Q1:54.3 ($46,655), and is a full sister to Lily Stride 3, 1:50.2 ($701,858) and a half-sister to Simply Volo (Crazed) 8, 1:53.3s ($440,299).

Race 9: Another filly that rates a nod in here is the Nancy Takter-trained Cheval Rapide (Father Patrick), a Solveig Racing Partner’s homebred who won her Big M qualifier on June 24 in 1:58.2 in impressive fashion, scoring a :27.4 final brush to best her rivals by nearly five lengths. Cheval Rapide is the third of four foals out of the Donato Hanover mare and 2014 Breeders Crown Final winner Shake It Cerry, 3, 1:51.2 ($2,786,104) and is a full sister to Mon Cheval 3, 1:52 ($390,740).

Race 13: This wide-open division features seven diagonally gaited distaffs whose yearling sales totals ring in at $332,000 for five of them, with two home breds in the field. Magic Bee (Father Patrick), hails from the Nifty Norman stable and comes into this event fresh off a 2:02.4 effort in a Chester qualifier. A $130,000 yearling purchase at Lexington, Magic Bee is the eighth foal out of the Balanced Image mare Beehive 3, Q1:57.3f ($8,791), and is a half-sister to world champion Bee A Magician (Kadabra) 3, 1:51 ($4,055,865); Bee In Charge (Manofmanymissions) 3, 1:52.4s ($351,433)

2-year-old Pacing Colt & Geldings: Races 6, 8

Race 6: A field of seven colt and gelding pacers will line up behind The Meadowlands starting gate in this first division, with four of the youngsters bringing $435,000 in yearling sale dollars. Captain Albano (Captaintreacherous), a $150,000 purchase from the Harrisburg Sale by trainer Noel Daley, turned in an impressive Big M qualifier on July 1, pacing to a winning 1:54.3, with a :26.2 final panel. This bay colt is just the second foal out of the American Ideal mare Angelou p, 3, 1:54f ($53,443), and is a full brother to the 3-year-old Captain Planet p, 2, 1:54 ($24,425).

Race 6: Captain Marvel (Captaintreacherous) is a Linda Toscano trainee who also posted an impressive Big M qualifier on June 24, clocked in 1:54.4, with a :27.2 final brush. This $80,000 Harrisburg purchase is the second foal out of the American Ideal mare Modesty p, 3, 1:54.1f ($50,000) and was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, Inc.

Race 6: It is not often we see a Standardbred designated as “white” for its color listing, but that is the case with the youngster Lillbliss, a son of the stallion White Bliss, who is trained by Ake Svanstedt for Knutsson Trotting Inc. This youngster is worth watching because he did post a :26.4 final brush in his latest qualifier at The Meadowlands on June 24, even though he was nearly six lengths behind the winner, timed in 1:55.2. He does have impressive genetic credentials on his dam’s side, however, as Bon Mot, (American Ideal) p, 3, 1:53.4f ($74,060), is the dam of six winners and this youngster’s half-siblings, including; Alhambra (Art Major) p, 5, 1:53.3h ($313,999); Valar Dohaeris (Huntsville) p, 3, 1:51f ($275,200); Grave Dancer (Rock N Roll Heaven) p, 4, 1:51f ($194,237); Frenzie (Bettor’s Delight) p, 5, 1:53.3h ($156,248), etc.

Race 8: A field of six, terrifically named youngsters made up this second division for colt and gelding pacers, with $717,000 in yearling purchase dollars spent on this group. Newsroom (Always B Miki) hails from the Joe Holloway barn and appears to have been the steal of this group with just a $30,000 tag from the Harrisburg Sale. He scored a 1:54 triumph in a $23,050 Tompkins Geers at The Meadowlands on June 30, posting a sizzling :25.4 final panel with David Miller at the lines. Newsroom is the fifth of six foals out of the Well Said mare Well Hello There p, 3, 1:51.3f ($261,805) and has half-siblings in Brush Up (Somebeachsomewhere) p, 3, 1:54.3h ($39,295) and Sweet Hello (Sweet Lou) p, 2, Q1:56.2 ($10,631).

Race 8: Driver Yannick Gingras had driven three of the babies in this group—two trained by Ron Burke, Swifty Lazar (Sweet Lou) and Gettheshowontheroad (Betting Line)—but he chose to drive the Nancy Takter trained Total Stranger (Bettor’s Delight). This brown colt posted a close second, timed in 1:55, with a :26.4 final brush in a June 24 Big M baby race. He was a $425,000 Lexington Select purchase and is the fifth of six foals out of the Art Major mare Precocious Beauty p, 4, 1:50.1s ($838,004), making him a full brother to world champion Tall Dark Stranger p, 3, 1:47.1 ($2,020,195) and a half-brother to Beautyonthebeach (Somebeachsomewhere) p, 3, 1:49.2 ($540,428) and Beach Party (Somebeachsomewhere) p, 3, 1:50.4 ($120,121).

2-year-old Pacing Fillies: Race 10

Race 10: A single field of eight pacing fillies vies in the Kindergarten Series, with their yearling purchase prices totaling $1,142,000 for six of those eight. The nod goes to Linda Toscano’s trainee Sarasota Hanover (Stay Hungry), a $210,000 Harrisburg purchase who romped in her two winning qualifiers. The first came at New Jersey’s Magical Acres on June 14, where she paced to a winning 1:58, and the second came at The Meadowlands on June 24, when she stormed to a front-end, 1:53.3 clocking, with a :26.3 final brush. Sarasota Hanover is the sixth of seven foals out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare Surfside Sexy p, 3, 1:52.4 ($65,848), making her a full sister to Lyons Surfing p, 2, 1:50.1 ($213,076) and a half-sister to Shagnahi Bobby (Art Major) p, 3, 1:52f ($124,007) and to Sunrise Hanover (Somebeachsomewhere) p, 5, 1:52.3f ($109,042).

Race 10: Trainer Nancy Takter will send three Captaintreacherous fillies postward in this race, and while Flawless and Stonecoldtreachery are both strong contenders, it appears Caviart Belle is the one to beat. This $375,000 Lexington Yearling purchase posted a 1:54.2 clocking in her June 24 Big M qualifier, but what was most impressive in that mile was her final quarter of :25.4. Bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, Inc., Caviart Belle is the third foal and first filly out of the Well Said mare Eloquent Grace p, 3, 1:51.4f ($100,200), and is a full sister to Ervin Hanover p, 3, 1:49.2f ($250,941) and Energetic Hanover p, 4, 1:49.3 ($217,756). Driver Yannick Gingras had driven both Caviart Belle and Flawless, and even though he won in 1:55.1 with the latter, who also posted a :26.1 final brush, he chose to drive Caviart Belle. Stonecoldtreachery also posted an impressive final quarter clocking of :26.2, finishing third in 1:54.1 in her Big M qualifier to the aforementioned Sarasota Hanover.

For free Meadowlands race programs, click here.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Kimberly Rinker, for Harnesslink