Submitted
by Carol Hodes for SBOANJ
EAST
RUTHERFORD, NJ – July 12, 2014 – Guess Whos Back fired off cover while Mission
Brief exploded with a gate-to-wire stakes record performance in $100,000 finals
of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for two-year-old trotters on Saturday, July 12,
2014 at the Meadowlands.
Mission
Brief [$2.60, $2.40, $2.10] broke her own stakes record of 1:55.1, with a
1:53.3 mile in the second race, besting a field of six other trotting fillies,
by a winning margin of 13 and a quarter lengths.
The
outcome was never in doubt as Yannick Gingras guided the Ron Burke trainee to
her second win in three starts.
With
the daughter of Muscle Hill, out of the Breeders Crown winner Southwind Serena,
racing on an uncontested lead, the battle was for second and Dynamite Dame by
Muscles Yankee edged out Rules of the Road by Muscle Hill, who was third by 14
lengths.
A
$150,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase, Mission Brief lifted her
earnings to $69,750 for the Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stables,
J&T Silva Stables and Weaver Bruscemi.
Guess
Whos Back came from off the pace and tipped five-wide in the stretch and pulled
away to a one-length victory in the event for two-year-old trotting colts and
geldings, the first race.
Brian
Sears positioned the son of Muscles Yankee-Shes Gone Again third over on the
backstretch and tipped him five-wide in mid-homestretch to catch 8-5 favorite
French Laundry.
Guess
Whos Back, who paid $6.40, $4.00, $3.00, was a one-length winner over 3-1
Canepa Hanover with 99-1 Mountain Top a length and three-quarters in
third. Both are by Muscle Hill.
The
1:56.1 mile was a lifetime best for Guess Whos Back, trained by Nikolas Drennan
and racing for Joseph Davino of Clarksburg, NJ and Brad Shackman of Calgary
Alberta. The $90,000 Harrisburg Sale purchase now has a bankroll of
$70,250.
