East Rutherford, NJ – The Saturday,
June 18 edition of Breakfast With The Babies at The Meadowlands got underway at
9:30 on a perfect morning with the temperature in the low 70’s and little wind.
There were sixteen races for two-year-olds on the bill.
It’s come to that time of year when
the prospects must be separated from the suspects and it’s safe to
say we saw some of the coming season’s new stars. Trainers Julie Miller and
Linda Toscano both had a big day and must be excited about their chances
for the summer stakes.
Making a
strong impression was The Chapter Seven x Random Destiny colt Walner who went a
powerful mile for driver Tim Tetrick in the seventh race. He sustained a long
uncovered grind from as far as nine lengths back at the 1:01.2 half then
tracked down the leaders with an individually timed 26.3 close to the 1:58.3
win. Linda Toscano trains the winner from the first crop of the 2012 Horse of
the Year she trained a few years ago. Owner Ken Jacobs plucked him from the
Lexington Sale for $90,000 last fall. President Lindy (A. Miller) was valiant
in defeat fighting right to the wire for the place while Affair Of Honor (Corey
Callahan) took third.
The fastest of the day was
the 1:54.2 mile by the Somebeachsomewhere x New Album colt named The
Wall who closed into a 27 flat final quarter to get the win for
driver Yannick Gingras in the fifteenth race of the day. That’s a speed
pedigree that trainer Jimmy Takter paid $70,000 to secure at the Lexington Selected
Yearling Sale last fall for his wife Christina, John Fielding, Brixton Medical
and Bud Hatfield. Chip Walther acquitted himself well for Marcus Miller holding
second after setting all the fractions and Machiavelli (Dave Miller) was third.
Trotting fillies were up first and
Cool Cates (Yankee Glide x Dance To Market) got her racing career off to an
impressive start with a gate to wire 1:59.3 win for Andy McCarthy. She moved
away from her seven rivals late with no urging, using a 28.1 final quarter to
close the mile. Noel Daley bought Cool Cates for his own account last fall,
paying $35,000 at the Lexington Select Sale. That’s All Moni (Y. Gingras) and
Spending Spree (T. Tetrick) made late gains to be second and third.
Feed Your Head (Muscle Hill x Flawless
Bluestone) won her debut in 2:00.1 for the potent trainer driver combo of Jimmy
Takter and Yannick Gingras. Yannick moved the $70,000 Lexington yearling to the
top as they neared the half then used a 27.4 kicker to hold the closing
Southwind Primus (Andy Miller) at bay with something left. Eddiction (M.
Johansson) held for third after some early use and Speedy Prayer (S. Zeron) was
closing nicely as they went under the wire.
Chezatter (Explosive Matter x Chez
Lucie) is looking like a bargain at the $30,000 price trainer/driver Trond
Smedshammer paid on behalf of Wanda Polisseni’s Purple Haze Stable at the
Standardbred Horse Sales last fall in Harrisburg. She’s now won both outings
here at The Meadowlands, this one charging through the stretch to win as
Smedshammer pleased in 1:58.4 with her final quarter in the 28 range. Dorinda
(Marcus Melander) rode a pocket trip and was second, eclipsing mile cutter
Rosesareexplosive late as that one hung around to be third.
Alabama owner Roy Dobbins has a handful
of nice looking homebred trotters, none more impressive than his dark Muscle
Hill x Miss Checkmate filly named Checkmate Time. Following a pair of good
runner up finishes with sub 28 final quarters in each, she was a 1:59.2 winner
today for Scott Zeron using another powerful close to pass the leaders with a
27.3 finish. Trainer Dennis Laterza has prepped her well and it shows. One
Class Act (Ray Schnittker) cut the mile and stayed on for second while Cersei
Hanover (A. Miller) and Southwind Avanti (Dave Miller) also gained into that
fast final panel to be third and fourth respectively.
Aperfectpak went well today, winning
with a 27.2 final quarter from a stalking position in 1:59.3 for Tim Tetrick.
She’s a Yankee Glide from Asixpakfromperfect that Jonas Czernyson paid
$130,000 for the account of Swedish business magnate Lennart Ågren at the Lexington Yearling Sale. Tim Tetrick settled
her in third as Princess Aurora (Gingras) set fractions of 1:02.1 and 1:31.3,
then when asked Aperfectpak responded positively to wrestle the lead from
the stubborn leader near the wire. Havanna Bar (A. McCarthy) had good energy
late to be third for Elitlopp official Christer Haggstrom.
Andy and
Julie Miller sent out Fly On (Muscle Hill x Calchips Finisher) to win the first
of the colt trots in 1:59.4. Fly On sat in third for Miller as Texican
(Smedshammer) and Southwind Segway (Vic Kirby) took turns on the lead through a
1:01.2 half then accelerated with a 27.3 final panel to score over that pair.
The Millers share ownership of the $55,000 Lexington buy with the Arden
Homestead Stable and GTY Stable.
The eighth race looked like a
mini-Peter Haughton Memorial with lots of movement as Arch Credit, Signal Hill
and then Stealth Hanover set the fractions before Devious Man, by Credit Winner
from the 26 year-old dam of 2005 Hambo winner Vivid Photo Miss Garland, was the
last to the lead at the end. Driver Andy Miller held position from the rail
start through the early scrum, then fanned Devious Man wide in the stretch
brushing through a 27.1 end to the 1:58.2 mile. Signal Hill (Tetrick) and
Stealth Hanover (McCarthy) were together for second as five were strung across
the track at the wire. Trainer Julie Miller
owns the winner, a $62,000 Harrisburg yearling in partnership with Natalia
Story as a part of Story Inc.
The Chromeo fans were out in force
this morning and the “Chromeo” cheers as he crossed the wire a winner were
strangely reminiscent of the “Varenne” chants of a decade and a half ago. The
distinctive looking winner was a $10,000 Donato Hanover x Lady Holiday
Harrisburg steal for trainer/driver Ray Schnittker and longtime owners Ted
Gewertz and Frank “The Hands” Baldassare along with Mary Kinsey. Cresurrey
(Smedshammer) was second and Hammer Time closed it up well for third in the
2:00 mile with a 28.3 final quarter.
Money Macintosh (Credit Winner x
Apple Plush) won the last of the trots, travelling well on a loose lead for
much of the mile but he made it interesting by incorporating a few giant steps
that required some steadying by Andy Miller as they neared the wire. Despite
that blip, he never left the trot and gets the 1:59 / 29 win (third winner of
the day) for Andy and owner Story Inc. who paid just $28,000 for him at
Harrisburg. Mountain Of Love (Zeron) held his ground well after settling in the
pocket while Live For Greatness (Gingras) made a mild late gain to be third.
Next up, pacing fillies and Idyllic
Beach ($100,000 at LSYS) used every foot of the 26.4 final quarter to get her
nose on the wire before Gorgeous Halie in 1:57.3. She’s the Somebeachsomewhere
first foal of the top race mare Idyllic, trained in the Takter barn for
Christina Takter, John Fielding, Brixton Medical and Marvin Katz.
Livingthedream and Tori Hanover took minor placings. Yannick Gingras steered
the winner.
The freaky fast Robin J (Roll With
Joe x Mommy Robin Q) won her second straight with a 26 final quarter for Tim
Tetrick this morning. Tim held her in fourth early then was escorted to the
leaders by the cover of Ameraway before squeezing between rival deep in the
stretch to get up. Linda Toscano trains Robin J, a $60,000 Harrisburg yearling
for Ken Jacobs. Ameraway (Marcus Miller) was resolute in the drive, narrowly
eclipsed by the winner. Caviart Ally (McCarthy) and Queen To Me (Zeron) both
had late pace in the 1:56.4 mile.
World Apart and She’s Watching may
have given us a preview of what’s in store for this group in the coming months
as those two fillies threw down in a 26.4 “on the board” final quarter of a
mile in 1:56. World Apart (Tetrick) came uncovered quickly from well back
around the final bend to engage leader She’s So Marvelous at the top of the
stretch with She’s Watching (Gingras) finding clearance to the outside from the
pocket and they raced to the wire in tandem. World Apart got the “W” for Linda
Toscano (who’s having a good day) and owners South Mountain, Bay’s Stable and
Little E, LLC.
Marcus Melander won with Southwind
Diablo, an American Ideal x Shady Darling colt he trains for Brixton Medical.
The $15,000 Harrisburg bargain led all the way and held off Hurrikane King Kong
with a 28.1 and to the 1:55 mile in his debut.
The homebred Western Ideal colt
Western Joe was a winner today in 1:55 benefitting from a pocket steer from
Yannick Gingras. Chris Choate trains the sharp colt from Ante Fay for Anthony
Ruggeri. Ocean Colony (Brett Miller) cut the mile and held grimly until the end
to be beaten a head while Point Somewherelse (McCarthy) was third.
Meladys Monet looked about as good as
a horse can look in a conditioning 1:53 qualifier for John Campbell under
wraps. Three-year-old Hambo prospect Jack Vernon was a gritty second after
cutting the mile.
The game's newest World
Record holder Mel Mara got some work in today as well with a 1:49.2
exhibition including a 25.4 final quarter for "Captain" Corey
Callahan.
What a day!
Live racing resumes tonight at 7:15.
