East Rutherford, NJ - Friday, May
19 marks the start of the New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) with a total of six
$20,000 divisions for sophomore trotters and pacers.
Trotting fillies open the card with
Glitzy Gal the slight 2/1 choice in a competitive field of seven. She
accomplished little last season in a handful of starts but has returned
stronger and faster, winning in 1:56 in her most recent outing for
trainer Nifty Norman. Dave Miller has the drive in Friday's race for owners
David McDuffee, Mel Hartman and Little E, LLC.
Last year's NJSS final and Dan
Patch award winner Ariana G banked nearly three-quarters of a million dollars
while winning all the majors for the Jimmy Takter barn. She's had a pair of
qualifiers to prepare for her 2017 debut as the heavy favorite in the second
division (race five). Yannick Gingras drives the homebred lass for Marvin Katz
and Al Libfeld.
The colts will battle it out in
races three and eight, with Deacon Tony given the 9/5 edge in the first and
considerably easier split. He's off to a good start on the campaign with a pair
of wins thus far for trainer Ron Burke and owners Our Horse Cents, Deo
Volente, TLP Stable and Silva Burroughs Stable. Gingras has the drive on Deacon
Tony.
The second division contains the
defending NJSS champ and Peter Haughton final winner in What The Hill. The
Burke trainee was a 1:55.3 winner in his first start at age three
for owners Burke Racing, Our Horse Cents, J&T Silva Stable and Deo Volente.
Dave Miller is the driver.
Last year's top New Jersey freshman
pacer Every Way Out is the prohibitive choice in the single division of the
colt pace. He makes his seasonal debut on Friday for owners Taylor, Basen, Gold
and Lazzaro. Dylan Davis is the trainer and Tim Tetrick the driver for Every
Way Out.
Designated Drinker won the 2016
NJSS filly pace final for owner (in partnership with Triple C Stable), trainer
and driver Chris Lems last year but is a 10/1 outsider in race
ten.
The favorite's role falls to John
Cancelliere's homebred Colorful Jasmine. She got a late start to her freshman
campaign and missed last year's NJSS but has quickly caught up to the field and
flashed god speed in her 2017 debut with an easy 1:54.1 score at Harrah's. Tom
Cancelliere trains and Corey Callahan will drive Colorful Jasmine.
The menu in Pink features a Portuguese theme this Friday for $29.95.
Saturday is Preakness Day, the
middle jewel of thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown. The gates open at 9:30 a.m.
Friday's post time is 7:15 p.m.
