The Meadowlands - The $100,000
freshman finals for the New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) will be raced on Friday
evening at The Meadowlands. Short fields dictate that three of the four be
raced as non-betting races starting at 6:30 p.m. They will be carried on The
Meadowlands simulcast feed live.
On the pari-mutuel card is the
filly trot where six daughters of Wishing Stone will decide the division of
that purse. Morning line choice Princess Marx (Andy Miller) looked sharp
winning the second leg in 1:57.4 last week for owner Steve Stewart and trainer
Justin Lebo while Noel Daley sends out a talented pair in leg one winner Be Bop
Sally (Andy McCarthy) and Diamondstone US (David Miller) to contest the issue.
Fifteen Kindergarten pacing
colts split into fields of seven and eight. Race two is the first
$10,000 division where Key Advisor (PP#4 Scott Zeron) has shown steady
improvement and was a 1:54.3 winner in his most recent qualifier for trainer
Tony Alagna and owners Brittany Farms and Key Advisor Racing. To his outside from
post six Speed To Market (Corey Callahan) flashed high speed in his first money
start, setting an honest pace before succumbing late in a 26.1 final quarter of
the 1:52 mile.
In the third race the Kindergarten
colts are led by Closing Statement (PP#3 Tim Tetrick) who disappointed both his
connections and the public by skipping off stride while 1-5 at Pocono. He
gets a chance at redemption on Friday for trainer Joe Holloway and owners
Val D'Or Farm, Rojan Stable and Ted Gewertz. He'll have to deal with Born To Be
Bad (Andy Miller) who has an Ohio Sires Stakes win at Scioto Downs under his
belt.
A filed of nine comprise the first
of two Kindergarten pacing filly division. All On Top Hanover (PP#2
Marcus Miller) clearly has the best résumé of this group having
been second in a fast overnight, pacing her final quarter an eye-popping
25.3, then was third beaten less than a length in 1:52 in a NYSS at Vernon
Downs. Crawford Farms recently bought into the filly joining Erv Miller Stable,
Ron Michelon and George Golemes as owners.
The second filly
division is an evenly matched group of eight in the eighth race. Kissin In The
Sand (PP#7 Yannick Gingras) was the highest priced yearling of the group
at $130,000 and owners Marvin Katz and Bud Hatfield placed her with
trainer Nancy Johansson. After a pair of impressive qualifiers at The
Meadowlands, Kissin In The Sand broke stride as the favorite at Pocono . She'll
likely be a popular choice in this one, returning to the big track.
If it's fun you seek
then join the crown up on the roof for the Winners on the Terrace party every Friday night.
Post time is 7:15.
