By Mike Farrell, for the Meadowlands
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Kissin In The
Sand powered to a 3-length victory over archrival Youaremycandygirl in the
$191,800 Mistletoe Shalee for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday night at
the Meadowlands.
The top two tangled last month in the
Lynch final at Pocono Downs with Kissin In The Sand relentlessly tracking down
the pacesetting Youaremycandygirl to prevail by a neck in an epic effort.
The finish wasn’t nearly as dramatic
in the Shalee. Taking advantage of the elongated start in the 1 1/8-mile
contest, Scott Zeron hustled Kissin In The Sand to the front entering the first
turn.
Youaremycandygirl and Yannick Gingras
took the available seat in second.
“I chose to put her on the front in a
distance race,” Zeron said. “She just felt stronger tonight. Maybe it helped
her last time. She got aggressive today, and I put her up there.”
And so they finished in that order.
Youaremycandygirl, last season’s Dan
Patch winner, tipped out for the stretch drive but the anticipated battle never
materialized. Kissin In The Sand was full of pace right to the wire, finishing
under wraps as the 3-5 favorite.
“Coming around the last turn, I knew
how loaded she was,” Zeron said. “When I asked her for racetrack, she took it.
“She feels like she’s getting
better.”
And that spells bad news for the rest
of the division.
It was the third straight win for
Kissin In The Sand, improving her season mark to 4-2-0 in six starts.
Overall, she is 11-for-20 for owners
Marvin Katz and Hatfield Stables and trainer Nancy Johansson.
The time was 2:04 1/5 over the fast
track on a pleasantly warm night. Kissin In The Sand paid $3.40 to win.
Alexa’s Power was third.
