East Rutherford, NJ
– Breakfast With The Babies edition #5 began at 9:30 under overcast skies with
a slight breeze nudging them down the stretch and temps in the high 70’s.
Early arrivals were
treated to a 1:52ish training mile by Huntsville who currently sits atop the
“Road To The Meadowlands Pace” leaderboard. Held out of the Hempt elimination
and final races, trainer Ray Schnittker sent driver Tim Tetrick out to sharpen
him up a bit and he did just that. The closing quarter was 26 or a tick faster
with the driver sitting still.
At the top of the list
performance-wise in the morning’s races were a pair of high dollar 2016
yearlings that certainly look the part at this early stage.
Trotter Quantum Kemp won
by many, many lengths with trainer Jimmy Takter reliving his Hambletonian
memory of 2014 when he drove his full brother Trixton to victory. Takter went
right to the front with the $200,000 Lexington Selected Sale Muscle Hill colt
and widened at every call through the 1:58.1 / 28.2 mile and appeared to be
getting lonely near the wire with the official margin at 26 ½ lengths. Brixton
Medical, John Fielding, Joyce McClelland and Herb Liverman are the owners.
American Steele (Marcus Miller) was second with Steven W Hill (David Miller)
third.
In the very next race
pacing filly Come See The Show (Tim Tetrick), the $550,000 Lexington sale
product of the mating of former fastest horse in a race ever Somebeachsomewhere
with the former fastest mare in a race ever Put On A Show, put on a show of her
own in 1:55.1. She sat along behind eventual place finisher in a gritty effort
of her own, Miswave Hanover (Marcus Miller) through a 1:29.1 three quarters
then when tipped outside the leader she flashed 25.4 final quarter speed to
edge by with minimal encouragement from the driver. Linda Toscano trains this
beast for owner / breeders Joanne & Richard Young.
The morning started with
Piranha Fury (SHS $90,000) taking the opener for David Miller in 1:59.2. Miller
sent her out from post eight to drop in the deuce as Andy McCarthy cut the mile
with eventual second place finisher Falling In Love, eased out around the final
turn then went by under her own power through the 28.2 final panel. Dab Hanover
(Mattias Melander) was third. Nifty Newman trains the winner for Mel Hartman,
Little E & Diamond Creek.
Live Laugh Love ($90,000
LEX) impressed in making it a sweep of the morning double for the driver and
trainer, brushing by the field into the 28 flat last quarter to win in 1:56.2
while well in hand. She races for her breeders, Mel Hartman and Diamond Creek
with Mr. Hartman’s usual partner David McDuffee in for a stake. Winbak Blondie
(A. McCarthy) split fillies late with trot to be second while Apprentice M
(Brett Miller) was third.
The Jimmy Takter &
Yannick Gingras machine began to pick up steam in the third with Bella Glos
($95,000 SHS) leading all the way with a 27.2 sprint on the end of a 1:57.1
mile for Yannick. It was her second impressive win in as many baby starts.
Lucky Rainbow sat the pocket and held second for the Miller/Norman team and
Mooskha Stride (Tetrick), raced from behind today was a very willing third
gaining into the fast last fraction. Black Horse Racing owns the winner.
Jimmy won right back
with the good looking colt Wolfgang ($60,000 LEX) moving first over around the final
bend then engaging early leader Spee Club (Ake Svanstedt) and going by that one
to win as he pleased in 1:56.1 / 27.1 under no urging. He’s by first crop sire
My MVP and all I can say is look out Ohio! Unforgettable (Scott Zeron) went a
nice trip for trainer Tony Alagna to be second and Spee Club stuck around for
third. Brixton Medical, Bud Hatfiled Stable, Goran Falk and breeder Fair Island
Farm share ownership of Wolfgang.
Cousin Rickard converted
a Takter triple converting a pocket trip into a 1:58 / 28.1 score with the
trainer doing the driving. He’s a homebred by Johnny William owned by Christina
Takter, John & Jim Fielding and RAW Equine. Royson’s Tuffguy (Tetrick) cut
the mile and held up well for second with Godspell Hall (Zeron) closing nicely
to be a comfortable third.
Azreal As It Gets was a
winner for the trainer / driver duo of Ake Svanstedt and Yannick Gingras.
Yannick sat in fourth until the stretch where Yannick sent her after Band Stand
(B. Miller) who had opened up on the field by several lengths, caught that one
and went on by in the 27.4 end to the 1:55.4 mile. Our Horse Cents and Stable
45 are the owners of the So Surreal filly. Band Stand held second with Princess
Dalia (Tetrick) third.
Yannick drove Takter
trainee Pro Beach (LEX $450,000) to a 1:54.2 win in his third baby start, this
time cutting the mile through the 1:28 three quarters then was extended to hold
off the late rushing Better Watch Out (Tetrick) through a 26.2 final panel for
the “W”. Jackamino (A. McCarthy) was along for third.
Brixton Medical, Marvin
Katz and Bud Hatfield Stable are the proud owners of the royally bred colt.
Tetrick drove Love
Yourself (SHS $52,000) to a front end 1:54.4 / 27.1 win for trainer Svanstedt.
Odds On Lauderdale (Zeron) made late gains to be second and JK Fielding
(Gingras) recovered from an early stretch misstep for third.
Decoy ($110,000 LEX) won
the last of the baby races making it a six pack for the Takter barn, this one
was driven by David Miller. The stylish looking colt set all the fractions,
tacking a 26.3 last quarter on the 1:53.4 mile. Another Takter horse, Grand
Teton (B. Miller) was a closing second and Liveonthephone (Svanstedt) third.
Fast Qualifiers
There were a few
qualifiers of note this morning.
The double Dan Patch
Award winning pacing mare Pure Country went a sublime mile with trainer Jimmy
Takter driving, reeling off three consecutive 27.2 quarters then closing the
1:48 flat mile out with a 25.4 final panel in what, to the best of the knowledge
of the panel of experts in attendance, was the fastest qualifier ever.
Hannelore Hanover got in
a bit of work in anticipation of the next leg of the Miss Versatility series on
Pace night with a 1:53.4 / 26.2 breeze for Yannick over Barn Girl who won the
Miss Versatility final last year.
Dr J Hanover (Zeron) and
Caviart Luca threw down in a 26 flat end to a 1:50.3 mile with the Doctor
prevailing by a nose in the final strides to sharpen up for next Saturday’s
Graduate final.
