East Rutherford, NJ – Saturday morning served as Opening Day for
the 2015 edition of Breakfast With The Babies at The Meadowlands. It was a
beautiful, windless morning with temperatures in the 70’s. There were but four
two-year-old races with short fields in all.
The first race was for trotters with a field of three fillies. Royal
Treason led all the way with a 28.4 sprint on the end of a mile in 202.2 for
driver Tim Tetrick. She’s a daughter of RC Royalty owned by trainer Paul Kelley
in partnership with Charlie Iannazzo, Steve Michaels and Jim Winske. She was a
$26,000 purchase at the Morrisville sale last fall.
Colt trotters came up next and the Andover Hall colt Mikkeli
Hanover looked like his $130,000 Harrisburg price tag may have been a bargain.
He set all fractions as driver Yannick Gingras did his best to rate the colt
through a sensible 1:01 half, tacking a 28.2 final quarter on the 1:59.3 mile
under wraps. He sure is big and pretty! Ron Burke trains for his Burke Racing
Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Baldachino and Panhellic Stable Corp.
Also noteworthy in this race was the sharp looking Cantab Hall
colt Rocky Hanover who followed along willingly to be second just a few lengths
off the winner, finishing under his own power. Rocky Hanover will sell tomorrow
in the Tattersalls Mixed sale as Hip #9 for trainer Tony Alagna and Steve
Stewart.
A pair of Burke pacing fillies squared off in the third with
Yankee Moonshine holding Eloquent Grace at bay though a sparkling 26.3 close to
a 1:57.2 mile. Matt Kakaley drove the $42,000 Harrisburg Yankee Cruiser filly
for Burke Racing, Stable 45, Larry Karr and Weaver Bruscemi. The Roll With
Joe filly Play Again went along nicely to be third here and she will be sold in
tomorrow’s sale as Hip #7.
Stolen Glimpse looked sharp, easily winning the colt pace in
1:55.3/27.2 for Gingras and Burke. The Art Major colt was a $100,000 Harrisburg
purchase by Stable 45, J&T Silva and Burke Racing. No Shame Blue Chip, also
sale-bound as Hip #6, set the early fractions here.
Moving on, one of last season’s top freshman filly trotters and
half-mile track World Record holder Wild Honey breezed a mile in 1:54.1/27.2
for Yannick. She looked fantastic today for trainer Jimmy Takter scoring a
decisive open length win over the good colt Billy Flynn.
Gural Hanover (Gingras) and JL Cruze (John Campbell) came out to
sharpen up for next week’s second leg of the Graduate Series and sharpen up
they did. Gural Hanover cut the mile as JL Cruze followed along in second
through a 1:24.3 three quarters, then threw up a 27 flat last quarter to finish
the 1:51.3 mile that drew a couple of “Wows” from the small crowd of attendees.
JL Cruze actually closed it up a bit in the final eighth under no urging at
all.
The field of pacers that lined up next would be the feature at any
track with three of the entrants, Foiled Again, McWicked and Bettor’s Edge
accounting for more than $9 million. There were all nearly upstaged by That’s
My Opinion who bull rushed the field just past the McWicked-led 57.2 half and
opened up by three or four. Ultimately, the old warrior Foiled Again (Gingras)
saved the day by tracking That’s My Opinion down near the wire in 1:51 flat and
he looked good doing it. It’s good to see him back.
That's My Opinion sells as Hip #84 tomorrow, he may be the
sleeper of the sale.
JK Endofanera (Gingras) and Somewhere In LA (Brett Miller) were
also getting in some work before the Graduate leg, the former zipping around
the oval in 1:50 off a half in 56 for Gingras going under the wire four or five
in advance of his chief rival.
Three year old pacer King Of Delight closed it out with a
1:51.3 win for trainer/driver Richie Silverman over Dream's Beachboy and the
sale-bound Suchasenseofhumor (Hip #54) who set the fractions and held well
late.
Live racing resumes tonight at 7:15pm and it will be accompanied
by the annual Food Truck battle known as JerseyFest.
