The Meadowlands
– Breakfast With The Babies, final edition of 2017, began at 9:30 a.m. on a
cool, overcast morning with the temperature at 66 degrees. Gabe Prewitt was
there to paint a picture of the races with words.
Strawberry Hanover
won the opener for Andy Miller, moving from the pocket around the second turn
to take over from Padua Hanover and sprinting off as she pleased in 1:58.4/28.1.
Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld were the successful bidders at $95,000 for
Strawberry Hanover at the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg last fall and
Julie Miller is the trainer. Julie drove another from the Miller barn, Final
Lady, to be second.
Wolfgang returned
from an unsuccessful visit to Ohio for a Sires Stake to win for Jimmy Takter in
1:57.4 / 28.1. Takter took him back early, marched up uncovered past the half
to engage Hat Trick Habit (Domenico Cecere) just past the 59.3 half then wore
that stubborn rival down late in the stretch for the win. Wolfgang was a
$60,000 Lexington Select but for Brixton Medical, Goran Falk, Hatfield Stable
and his breeder Fair Island Farm. Hat Trick Habit went a brave trip to be
second.
Andy Miller
doubled up with his Make It A Double in the third. The pair sat just behind
leader Go To Hill (Takter) past the 1:28.2 three panels and when shown
racetrack Make It A Double forged by lets in the stretch for the 1:58 flat win.
Go To Hill gave way grudgingly in a good effort. The winner was an $80,000
Lexington buy for Andy Miller Stable, Jason & Doug Allen and Julie Miller
is the trainer.
Takter came back
to take the fourth for pacing fillies with the homebred Betterthanbrie in
1:55.1. The pair sat just off the pace of Balestra Hanover (A. Miller) through
three quarters in 1:27.1 then pushed past late for the win. Christina Takter
and John Fielding share ownership of the Betterthancheddar first cropper.
The baby race
season came to an end with a whimper as only two made their way out to the
track and the gelding Ideal Deal outpaced the filly Miss Hill in 1:57.2. It was
the Milers again as Andy drove and Julie trains Ideal Deal who is owned by Andy
Miler Stable, Nick Surick and Harvey Eisman.
Live racing
tonight is highlighted by the eliminations for the August 5 $500,000
Hambletonian Oaks and a mandatory payout for the Super Hi 5 Jackpot in the last
race where the pool is more than $68,000 and likely to reach a solid six figure
total by off time.
First race post
time is 7:15 p.m.
