MANALAPAN,
NJ – July 27, 2013 – Johny Rock and I Luv the Nitelife, both offspring of
Rocknroll Hanover, turned in winning performances in stakes preps on Saturday
night, July 27, 2013 at the Meadowlands.
Both
will be back on Hambletonian Day, August 3, for the finals of the most
prestigious events for New Jersey-sired pacers, the $250,000 Anthony Abbatiello
New Jersey Classic for three-year-old colts and the $125,000 Thomas D’Altrui
Miss New Jersey for three-year-old fillies.
For
a 1-5 shot, I Luv The Nitelife made it interesting, briefly relinquishing the
lead in the stretch and holding on for a nose victory in the $20,000 Miss New
Jersey Prep, the first race.
The
Chris Ryder trainee picked up her seventh win in eight starts this year.
Tim Tetrick guided her to a win in 1:50.3.
The
only mar on the filly’s record this year was a third place finish – a half a
length back – in the $150,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final on June 1.
That race was won by Ms Caila J Fra and Jerseylicious was second.
This
time it was Jerseylicious who tested I Luv The Nitelife in the stretch but was
dispatched in the final strides while Ms Caila J Fra was third by two
lengths. Both Jerseylicious and Ms Caila J Fra are daughters of Western
Ideal.
I
Luv The Nitelife [$2.40], who won the $384,044 Fan Hanover, the $300,000 Lynch
and the $184,250 Mistletoe Shalee this summer, now has a six-race winning
streak and has finished in-the-money in 17 of 18 lifetime starts. She has
banked $1.2 million for Richard and Joanne Young of Coconut Creek, FL.
The
balance of the order of finish was Ideal Ginny, Authorize, JK Letitgo and
Certified Ideal, all daughters of Western Ideal.
All
seven fillies will face off in the final. The stakes record of 1:50 by
Put On A Show will be on the line.
The
colts took center stage in the $25,000 New Jersey Classic Prep, the fourth
race, as 5-1 Johny Rock scored three-length tally in a career best 1:50.1.
Early
on driver Andy Miller had to wrestle Johny Rock, who was leaving from the
outside post and was distracted at the start by the front paddock. But
Miller put the Rocknroll Hanover colt on the lead on the first turn and was
never challenged. Entrymates Emeritus Maximus and Wake Up Peter, both
sons of Rocknroll Hanover, made a bid in the stretch with Emeritus Maximus
edging out Wake Up Peter.
Johny
Rock [$13] trained by John Butenschoen, posted his second win with two seconds
and one third in 10 starts this year. His career totals include seven
wins, six seconds and one third from 20 attempts. He has now banked
$270,000 for William Wiswell of Elkhorn, WI, Jean Goehlen of Aurora, IL and
Eugene Schick of Elgin, IL.
The
balance of the order of finish was Rockin Amadeus, Ideal Carver, Always There,
Only The Lonely, Rocks N Bonds and Real Rocker. Always There, Only The
Lonely and Ideal Carver are by Western Ideal. The others are by Rocknroll
Hanover.
All
advance to the final along with two other colts, Lucan Hanover, who is racing
in the Summertime Pacing Series Final at Mohawk on Monday, and Word Power, who
was third in Saturday afternoon’s Delvin Miller Adios at the Meadows.
The
New Jersey Classic and Miss New Jersey are both sponsored by the Standardbred
Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey.
--Submitted
by Carol Hodes for the SBOANJ
