By
Dave Little, for the Meadowlands
EAST
RUTHERFORD, N.J. – What The Hill reinforced his standing as a big-time
Hambletonian contender, reporting home a dominant winner as the New Jersey Sire
Stakes took center stage with four second-leg events Friday night at the
Meadowlands.
The
son of 2009 Hambo champ Muscle Hill won his NJSS dash for 3-year-old colts and
geldings on the trot with ease to stay unbeaten in three starts this year. The
Ron Burke trainee exploded clear of the field at the five-eighths and went on
to a 4¾-length win in 1:53. King On The Hill was second with New Jersey Viking
third. As the 1-9 public choice, he returned $2.20 to win.
“He
was a little bit rambunctious,” said Burke. “He took off (at the five-eighths)
on his own. He needs to do a little bit less of that. He needs to relax a
little bit more. We’re going to open his bridle up and (driver) David (Miller)
will make more of a conscious effort (to calm him down).”
Burke
is upbeat about what he is seeing with the Hambletonian a little more than two
months away. “This horse, he seems to get better and better every time he gets
behind the gate.”
In
other NJSS action, Every Way Out ($2.10 to win) scored in the 3-year-old colt
and gelding pace by 7¾ lengths in 1:52.3 for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer
Dylan Davis; Colorful Jasmine ($2.60) took the 3-year-old filly pace by 3
lengths in 1:52.3 for Corey Callahan and Thomas Cancelliere while Ice
Attraction ($17.20) was the only non-favorite to win a NJSS event on the card
as she scored by 1½ lengths in 1:54.2 in the 3-year-old filly trot for Andrew
McCarthy and Ake Svanstedt.
A
LITTLE MORE: David Miller, Callahan and Scott Zeron all had driving doubles
on the program. … All-source wagering totaled $2,223,336. … Racing resumes
Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
