East Rutherford, NJ – Breakfast With The Babies finally caught a less than perfect morning after a late night into early morning deluge, but the harness racing track came great, I’ll call it wet fast. The skies were clearing but the humidity high and temperatures started out around 80 and rising. There was no wind.
Castel Lindy (Walner), a homebred gelding owned by KR Breeding and trained by Domenico Cecere, took the opener. Dexter Dunn settled Castel Lindy in third early as Michanek (Mattias/Marcus Melander) set solid fractions or :29, :59, 1:28.2 to the stretch when Dunn tipped his charge around the breaking Sinatra and tracked down Michanek late to get the 1:56.3 win.
Andy and Julie Miller turned out Kevlar CCL (Tactical Landing) for owner and co-breeder Laura Young (with Emma Young) to take a 1:59 record in his very first try. Andy settled him in fourth throughout the first three quarters as Double A Dallar (Tony Alagna) set even fractions, then fanned off cover and was a determined winner over The Drinker (Scott Zeron / Melander) and General Kronos (Andy McCarthy / Noel Daley) getting his head in front near the end of the :27.4 final stanza.
Blank (Gimpanzee, Dunn / Melander) impressed with a front stepping 1:57.3 win, sprinting home in :27.4 on his own to easily hold off the close of Flightline (Andy/Julie Miller). He’s likely off to The Red Mile for KYSS duty for SRF Stable and Holly Lane Stud East who gave $150,000 in Lexington last fall from breeder Diamond Creek Farms.
The same connections came right back with another from the first crop of Chimpanzee when the filly Luna Lovegood paraded around the oval in 1:57.2, home in :27.3 under her own power over the game Sonmar Pond (Zeron / Cecere) who held his crown well for second. Holly Lane Stud East owns the winner, a partially homebred $100,000 (LEX) yearling, bred by Blue Chip Farms and Stefan Melander.
Domenico Cecere sent out his second winner of the morning with Moni Multiplier (International Moni, Zeron), who rallied well between horses late through a 28 second end to the 1:59.2 mile. A homebred for Lindy Farms, the winning filly came through in tandem with Belmont (Dunn / Melander) who was a good second.
Conversano (Muscle Hill) was ultra-impressive this morning, leading all the way for Todd McCarthy to win in 1:55.2 and sprinting home in :27.4 to hold off Mimosatomartini S (Melander / Melander) and the crisp close of Global Heritage (Dunn / Cecere). Conversano, trained by Juan Cano, is a Hot Lead Farms homebred daughter of the great Muscle Hill from stakes winning Celebrity Ruth.
Best Story Ever’s (Chapter Seven) first chapter was a success for Andy and Julie Miller this morning, converting a nice two-hole ride into a 1:58.4 win, trotting strongly through the stretch in :27.1 to go by the tiring leader and win in hand over Kadena (Dunn / Melander) who closed up the inside and Going To Vegas’ (Jon Ahle / Paul Kelley) wide rally. Kentuckiana Farms and Eddie Gran bred the filly who sold to Wiesman Farms, LLC, Andy Miller Stable and Carmen Iannacone for $185,000 in Lexington last fall.
Steamboat Springs (Sweet Lou) was a forwardly place 1:56, home in :27.2 for trainer Joe Bongiorno, taking over just past the quarter to rate an easy middle and kicking home despite drifting late to hold sway over Big Sur Beach (Yannick Gingras / Per Engblom). The winner sold in Lexington to Jennifer Bongiorno Stable & Barbera Urciuoli&Frank, Sbrocco, JAF and Scott Rau for $135,000 from breeder Vieux Carre.
Welcometotheshow (Tall Dark Stranger) went a good mile for Josert Fonseca when he held off the late rush of Go Go Grasshopper (Bongiorno) in 1:53.2, home in :27.1. The winner sat third through the early fractions, moved up a space when leader Squeaky Blue (Gingras) went wide erratically on the last turn then surged past the stubborn Caviart Cash (Anibal Boras / Alagna) on the inside with Go Go Grasshopper ranging up on the outside to win. Welcometotheshow was bred by Steve Jones and Maumee River Stables and sold to trainer Nancy Takter, JAF Racing, 3 Brothers Stable, Sbrocco and Martha Frank for $75,000 (LEX).
White Lotus (Tall Dark Stranger, Gingras / Per Engblom) was super impressive this morning in his second appearance, coming in off a sparkling 1:53.4 effort a fortnight ago with another win, this time in 1:53 flat. Yannick moved White Lotus to the top just past the quarter, reeled off a :57.1 middle half then tacked on a :26.3 kicker under a hold. Its Gonna Feelgood (A. McCarthy / Noel Daley) closed from well back to get up for second. Morrison Racing Stables gave $110,000 (LEX) for the winner, bred by Lindy Farms.
Gingras and Takter struck again with the eponymously named JK Fancy Nancy (Captain Crunch), a winner out of the pocket in 1:54.2, closing in a flat :27. Odds On Aces Full (A. McCarthy / Alagna) set the pace until late stretch before succumbing to the winner. Reckless Abandon (T. McCarthy / Brett Pelling) rallied well very late for third. JK Fancy Nancy is a 3 Brothers homebred from their 2014 Horse of the Year pacing mare, JK She’salady, also trained by Nancy.
Exceptionalism (Tall Dark Stranger, Tim Tetrick / Alagna) impressed in her second outing, after a cover trip two weeks ago, Tim put her on the front today and she sprinted home in :26.4 on the end of a 1:54 mile to hold off Gigglingonthebeach A. McCarthy / Cano) to the inside and a sharp rally from Papi’s Opinion (Dunn / Pelling) for the win. Katz and Goldband bred the winner and sold her in Lexington for $70,000 to Alagna Racing LLC, CTI2.0 LLC, Frederick W Hertrich III, and Pryde Stables, Inc.
My Sweet Lily (Sweet Lou) scored again for the Gingras / Takter combo, this time emerging from the pocket to go by mile cutter Perfidious Crown (Dunn / Alagna) in the :26 flat end to the 1:53.2 mile, her second win in as many tries. Marvin & Lynn Katz share ownership with Caviart Farms who gave $130,000 at Harrisburg for the filly from breeders Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and Marc Reynolds.
Huge night at The Big M tonight, Meadowlands Pace elims, Graduate Finals and Fan Appreciation including…Fireworks!
For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.
by Nick Salvi, for The Meadowlands