By
Carol Hodes & Meadowlands Media Relations
MANALAPAN,
NJ – July 4, 2014 -- Guess Whos Back benefited from a quarter-mile duel
between Stonebridge Force and Canepa Hanover to win the $40,500 second round
New Jersey Sire Stakes for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Friday,
July 4, 2014 in the second race at the Meadowlands.
In
the $39,500 filly division, the fourth race, Mission Brief trotted a stakes
record 1:55.1.
In
the colts’ race, Stonebridge Force [Muscle Hill] and driver Ake Svanstedt would
not relinquish the lead and the rail to 1-5 favorite Canepa Hanover [Muscle
Hill] as the two battled down the backstretch. Early in the turn for home
Canepa Hanover broke stride, leaving Stonebridge Force on a clear lead until
Brian Sears, who won both ends of the early daily double, sent Guess Whos Back
sprinting in the stretch.
The
son of Muscles Yankee – Shes Gone Again took the lead in the final eighth and
clocked a career best 1:57 flat, last quarter in 29 seconds, winning by a
length and a half over Stonebridge Force. Guess Whos Back returned $12.60
to win.
Falk
On Hill [Muscle Hill], entrymate to Canepa Hanover, saved the bridge-jumpers,
finishing third by eight and three-quarter lengths.
Guess
Whos Back, a $90,000 Harrisburg Sale purchase, was making his second career
start, having broken stride in last week’s opening leg of the New Jersey Sire
Stakes. The Nikolas Drennan trainee picked up the winner’s share of
$20,250 for owners Joseph Davino of Clarksburg, NJ and Brad Shackman of
Calgary, Alberta. He was bred by Diamond Creek Farm of Kentucky and
Melvin Hartman of Ontario.
Mission
Brief, who broke stride early in last week’s first leg, was carefully timed to
the starting gate by driver Yannick Gingras and had the lead from first call to
the finish line.
The
3-5 favorite Saturday Mornings was second by nine and three-quarter
lengths. It was 12 and a half lengths to Demons N Diamonds in
third. All three top finishers are daughters of Muscles Hill.
Mission
Brief clicked off fractions of 27.3, 56.2 and 125.1 before stopping the clock
at 1:55.1, eclipsing the stakes record of 1:55.3 shared by Act of Grace [1995]
and Southwind Cocoa [2012].
The
Ron Burke trainee, out of the Breeders Crown winner Southwind Serena, paid
$7.20 to win. It was the filly’s first win in two starts, earning $19,750
for the partnership of Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, PA; Our Horse
Cents Stables of Clifton Park, NY; J&T Silva Stables of Long Beach, NY and
Weaver Bruscemi of Canonsburg, PA. The $150,000 Lexington Selected Sale
purchase was bred by Steve Stewart of Kentucky, Black Creek Farm of Indiana and
Andrea Lea Racing Stables of Quebec.
A
quartet of $100,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Finals for two-year-olds is
scheduled for Saturday, July 12, 2014, sharing the card with the finals of the
Meadowlands Pace, Mistletoe Shalee, Stanley Dancer, Del Miller, William R.
Haughton and Golden Girls.
The
$30,000 Free For All Handicap for pacing mares featured a quintet of mares
prepping for the Golden Girls next week. It was one of those five, in
fact, odds-on favorite Shebestingin who scored a neck victory over a very game
Mattie Terror Girl in 1:50.3. Jerseylicious established the early pace
but was quickly shuffled back through a quarter of 26.4 and a half-mile in a
rapid 53.2. Mattie Terror Girl made a steady grind to the lead and turned
for home with the lead through three-quarters of 1:21.1. ‘Mattie dug in,
but simply could not hold off the classy Shebestingin who scored the victory
for Dave Miller. Both mares look poised as major contenders in the Golden
Girls on Pace night. Charisma Hanover finished a solid third.
The
winner is owned by Val D’Or Farms, Theodore Gewertz and L&L Devisser LLC
and is conditioned by Joe Holloway.
The
following race, a C-1/B-2 Handicap saw Aunt Caroline make her 2014 debut a
winning one, scoring a sharp 1:51.3 victory. Aunt Caroline is also Golden
Girls eligible and figures to go postward in that event on Pace night as well.
Racing
returns on Saturday with a special post time of 6:30 P.M. The Saturday
program is a blockbuster, featuring two eliminations for The Meadowlands Pace,
the $484,450 Hambletonian Maturity, an elimination for the Mistletoe Shalee and
New Jersey Sire Stakes action. The past performances for the Saturday
program can be found free at
There
will also be a spectacular fireworks show following the live racing program.
