Ugottabkidnme steps out in style at Gaitway 2YO qualifiers

Manalapan, NJ – Ugottabkidnme (Play Trix On Me) represents the entirety of breeder/owner Kevin Kelly’s racing stable, so needless to say, there was a good deal of anticipation ahead of the 2-year-old male trotter’s qualifying harness racing debut Wednesday at Gaitway Farm.

After watching Ugottabkidnme circle the training center’s mile oval in 1:59 – the fastest of the day’s four trots for the freshmen – Kelly was understandably delighted.

“I’m tickled pink right now,” said Kelly, a Florida resident who also bred and raced Ugottabkidnme’s mom, Sunshine State standout Gold Star Briana. “I expected him to go in 2:00, maybe 2:01, and I was hoping he would behave himself, which he did. So, he beat my expectations.”

Gold Star Briana began her career with 17 consecutive wins, primarily on the Florida stakes circuit, and earned $132,970 lifetime. Ugottabkidnme, a son of stallion Play Trix On Me, got his own career off on the right foot Wednesday, winning by 1-1/2 lengths with Andy Miller driving for trainer Julie Miller.

Finishing second was Bricco, a $425,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase and half-brother to 2024 Dan Patch Award 3-year-old champ Sig Sauer.

“He’s a chip off the old block,” Kelly said about Ugottabkidnme, who trained down with Marlin Fry in Florida before joining Team Miller in New Jersey about a month ago. “He’s a little quirky, just like his dam, but both would trot from the time they hit the ground forward. All winter long, everybody was looking over their shoulders at him. He’s a striking animal. The guy has got a pretty gait, and that’s what I fell in love with right away. He’s got a pretty gait, and he’s big and strong.”

Julie Miller sent out six 2-year-olds on Wednesday, all making their qualifying debuts, and came away with two seconds and a third in addition to Ugottabkidnme’s triumph. Miller’s runner-up finishes came with pacing colt He Is Stingin (Perfect Sting-Hidden Cove) and trotting filly French Echo (Father Patrick-French Souffle), both with Andy Miller in the sulky. Trotting filly Blonds Havemorefun (Walner-Hey Blondie) was third, with Tyler Miller in the bike.

“It was relatively a good day,” Julie Miller said. “This was their first experiences, and we just wanted them to mind their manners, stay flat, and be good behind the gate. When Andy and Tyler hop off the bike, they say any adjustments to make with the horse, and whether they were good finishing. No complaints. We had a couple good ones, and a couple that we have to tinker with, but that’s the journey of horseracing.”

Ron Burke sent out seven of the day’s 10 freshmen winners Wednesday. Two of them, pacing filly She’s A Bulldog and trotting filly Atlantic Summer, also were winners in last week’s first round of qualifiers at Gaitway. This week, She’s A Bulldog (Bulldog Hanover-Band Stand) scored in 1:54.3 and Atlantic Summer (Captain Corey-Perfect Summer K) won in 1:59.1, both with Yannick Gingras driving.

Other Burke winners were pacing colts Dax Seelster (Bulldog Hanover-Deb) in 1:54.3 and Watch Em Win (He’s Watching-Winners Over) in 1:55, both with Tim Tetrick in the sulky, and Melillo (Sweet Lou-Rosemary Rose) in 1:55 with Gingras; pacing filly Perfect Lynn (Perfect Sting-Meghan Lynn) in 1:55.1 with Gingras, and trotting filly No Promises (Tactical Landing-It’s Hallright) in 1:59.3 with Gingras.

Melillo is a full brother to 2024 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion filly Rose.

Rounding out Wednesday 2-year-old winners in the qualifiers were pacing filly Yama Gonna Win (Bettor’s Wish-Yaris Bayama) in 1:55 with Scott Zeron driving for trainer Linda Toscano and trotting colt Ajax Blue Chip (Six Pack-Shesa Sweetheart) in 2:00 with Dan Dube driving for trainer Pierre Paradis.

Gaitway will again host qualifiers for 2-year-olds on June 25.

WEDNESDAYS REPLAYS

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA