Breeders Crown champion Manofmanymissions may not be trotting on all four cylinders yet, but he certainly got the job done in his 2011 sophomore debut
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The son of Yankee Glide was under wraps in winning the first of two New Jersey Sire Stakes divisions for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters on Friday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack. With driver Andy Miller at the lines, Manofmanymissions got into gear past the half and rallied three-deep to take his first start of the season in 1:55.2. It was a length back to the pocket-sitter Winuendo, while the pacesetter Guiltywithanexcuse fell short in third. Manofmanymissions paid $3.60 to win the $22,500 third race NJSS division.
"I wouldn't say he was 100 per cent tonight, but he's a very good horse and class kind of overcomes a few of his issues," Andy Miller said. "I just sat chilly and then in the lane, he just took off. I absolutely have high expectations for the horse."
Trainer Erv Miller acknowledged prior to the race that the colt has been battling issues with his feet.
"The first qualifier up here [May 19], Andy said he wasn't any good at all," Erv Miller said. "He was just struggling over the racetrack. We just put a regular 9/16 half round [shoe] back on him, which he hadn't ever worn before. We put them on him and Andy thought he was pretty good [winning his second qualifier on May 26 in 1:53.3]. We put a little bit of borium on them to help him across the track. Earlier this week, the horse popped a little abscess so maybe that was more of the problem than anything else. I'd say he's close to 100 per cent."
Manofmanymissions lost divisional honours to Pastor Stephen last year by one vote in the Dan Patch Award balloting. He won $432,900 and four of his six freshman starts, including a 1:53.2 world record in the Breeders Crown at Mohegan Sun Pocono. The $215,000 yearling purchase is owned by Mystical Marker Farms, M Biasuzzi Stable Inc. and Manofmanymissions Stable (Kentuckiana Racing Stables, Ken Jackson, Jack Hood and Jerry Silva).
Charlie De Vie ($3.20) extended his streak to four wins in the $22,000 second NJSS division, race five. Driven by Tim Tetrick, Charlie De Vie sat far back in second as Quick Deal reeled off blistering early fractions of :26.2 and :54.2. He zipped past the tired leader on the final turn and held off Vc Chocoholic by a half-length in 1:54. Chris Ryder trains the son of Yankee Glide for Joie De Vie Farm.
Manofmanymissions and Charlie De Vie are eligible to the $1.5 million Hambletonian on Saturday, August 6 at the Meadowlands.
Friday's card also featured a trio of Open events. Five-year-old Angus Hall gelding Winning Mister, driven by Andy Miller, front-stepped his way to a 1:53.1 victory in the $32,000 Open-1 Trot for trainer Walter Carroll and owner-breeder Robert Key. Miller also drove four-year-old Andover Hall mare Spectacular Bay to a 1:54.3 triumph in the $23,500 Open-2 Trot for trainer Julie Miller and Andray Farm.
With Michel Lachance in the bike, Best Boss kicked home in :26.3 from the backfield to edge out favourite On The Glass in the $32,000 Mares Open-1 Pace for a 19-1 upset in 1:51.4. Patrick Lachance trains and co-owns the four-year-old Cambest mare with M And M Harness Racing LL and Ira Rosenblum.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)