M1 - River Shark Edges Meir Hanover In Invitational At Meadowlands; 3yos Step Out in NJSS

River Shark wore down the well-rated leader Meirs Hanover in the final strides for a 1:50 victory in the $50,000 invitational pace on Saturday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack. 

Brian Sears steered the 6-year-old gelding to his sixth win in 17 starts this season and 27th victory overall.  The son of Four Starzzz Shark improved his earnings to $871,107 for trainer Mark Ford and co-owners Vip Internet Stable and Robert Di Nozzi. 

We Will See, making his 2012 debut, finished third. 

Meadowlands Pace hopefuls A Rocknroll Dance, I Fought Dalaw and Time To Roll got their sophomore campaigns off to winning starts in the first round of New Jersey Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts. 

A Rocknroll Dance pressured the leader into submission at the head of the stretch and drew off to a 4 1-2-length victory in the first of the three $17,000 splits.  He was clocked in 1:50.1 under the guidance of Yannick Gingras.  A Rocknroll Dance had a prolific campaign as a 2-year-old last year, earning $863,325 and winning seven of 11 starts.  He took a mark of 1:49.1 in a Metro elimination and ended his campaign with a victory in the $510,000 Governor’s Cup final at Chester.  Jim Mullinix trains and co-owns the son of Rocknroll Hanover-Wichita Hanover, a modest $15,000 yearling purchase, with partners Denny Miller and Teresa and Jerry Silva.

I Fought Dalaw and David Miller prevailed over Mortal Zin after a sustained battle to the wire in the second division.  The defending NJSS champion paced a career best 1:50.2 mile.  Trained by Sam De Pinto, I Fought Dalaw won four of 10 starts and $211,741 last season.  The son of Western Ideal – In For Life was a $22,000 yearling buy at the Lexington Selected Sale.  De Pinto’s wife, Shannon, shares ownership of I Fought Dalaw with Teresa and Jerry Silva and Michael Parisi.

The lightly raced Time To Roll took the final NJSS colts division over Pet Rock in 1:50.4.  Ron Pierce reined the blue-blooded son of Rocknroll Hanover-Kikikatie to his second win in four career starts for trainer Jimmy Takter and owner-breeder Lothlorien (Susan Grange). 

All three NJSS winners are eligible to the $800,000 Meadowlands Pace on Saturday, July 14.

After falling short in the Simpson last out, Pirouette Hanover danced to a 1:50.3 victory in the first of two NJSS divisions for fillies.  Ron Pierce guided the daughter of Western Ideal-Paula’s Best to her fourth career win for trainer Ed Hart and owner Jeff Snyder.  Pirouette Hanover banked $535,521 and won the Sweetheart final at the Meadowlands during her freshman campaign last year.

Rockaround Sue charged late to take the second fillies split in 1:53 for driver Brian Sears and trainer Tony Alagna.  Alagna shares ownership of the daughter of Rocknroll Hanover-Promysquous with the Uncirculated Stable and Alan Alber.