Smilin Eli impressed everyone last week, breaking maiden against similar and came right back with ease this week. Tim Tetrick guided the Muscles Yankee colt to the lead by the quarter and met no pressure through an soft 59- middle half. Into the stretch, the pocket sitting Timo Deo rolled off stride and last year's NJSS final winner Corky tried unsuccessfully to advance on Smilin Eli. The result was a 27.3 final panel and a dominant 1:54.2 win for Nick Cimino's homebred, trained by Deshawn Minor.
Eight fillies came back
for the $34,000 second leg and Silver Credit moved forward off a troubled trip
to win convincingly in 1:56-. Driver Corey Callahan found more successful
options from an inside post after last week's wide, closing effort and placed
Silver Credit in winning position.
Mike Lachance had Time To
Kill on the lead through friendly numbers, including a 1:00 breather in
the middle, but she offered little resistance when the closers came calling.
Miss Steele wore the leader down with a first over grind until Silver Credit
emerged from her cover to coast by. Southwind Cocoa was a late closing second.
Randy Beeckman conditions
the Muscles Yankee lass for the Miller's Stable of Leburn, KY .
The Meadowlands showed
an increase in handle to the tune of 31-percent for the Friday night program
compared to the same Friday in 2012.
The NJSS pacers take the
stage tomorrow night and the $150,000 finals for all divisions will be raced
next Saturday, June 1.
