The field for the $200,000 SBOA/Thomas D’Altrui Miss New Jersey was set by a pair of $20,000 elimination races Friday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack
.
The first five finishers in each elimination advanced to the final for three-year-old filly pacers on Saturday, June 13, an evening featuring $1.1 million in stakes races for state bred horses. The Miss New Jersey shares the spotlight with the $500,000 SBOA/Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic for pacing colts and a pair of $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Championships for three-year-old trotters.
Showherthemoney [$5.80, $4.00, $2.10] got off to a slow start but made a late rally down the stretch to take the first elimination in 1:52.2. With driver Brian Sears in tow, Showherthemoney got away last out of the gate and trailed the field before finding cover behind Precious Stone and John Campbell around the far turn. At the top of the stretch, Showerherthemoney tipped off cover and charged hard to take the night’s first race. Precious Stone [$6.60, $2.20] finished a neck behind in second and Mcgibson [$2.10] and Tim Tetrick was third.
Showerherthemoney is owned by Bulletproof Enterprises and trained by Bjorn Norern. The daughter of Cams Card Shark - Stienmans Place has now won three of six starts this year.
“She was flying home the last half,” Noren said. “She is very good when she gets a trip. She is very speedy. She had no problem with the [sloppy] track.
“Of course, I’ve got some hope to win,” he said, looking ahead to the final. “I hope I get a good post and the trip works out.”
Personal Ad and U Foria B B also advanced to next week’s final.
Dawns Legacy [$8.00, $4.00, $2.40] sat a perfect pocket trip and came between horses in the stretch to take the second elimination in 1:52.1. The pace setting Scarlet Mczara [$3.80, $2.20] and Andy Miller was second and Special Sweetheart [$2.10], with Eric Goodell, was third.
Trained by Anthony Mannino, Dawns Legacy has now won two of three starts this year. The daughter of Western Ideal-Dawn Q has boosted her career earnings to $100,368 for owners Fred Schwartz, Shirley Schwartz and Shore Thing Stables.
Arbeedo and Perfectionist also advanced to the $175,000 Miss New Jersey final.
In regular action, Spam Spade [$9.20, $5.20, $3.80] made a quarter-pole move and managed to hold off a quick-closing Gift Kronos [$5.20, $3.60] by a neck to win the weekly $31,500 Invitational Trot for trainer Julie Miller.
Mountbatten N and Yannick Gingras crossed over from the outside post to take the early lead, but Spam Spade and driver/owner Andy Miller were on the move early and they reached up for the lead after a soft :29.1 opening quarter. The four-year-old Dream Vacation gelding chopped out the remaining panels of :57.3 and 1:26.2 before feeling pressure from the first-over Gift Kronos with Tim Tetrick in the bike. Down the stretch, Spam Spade held his own and pulled off the victory in 1:53.4. Slave Dream [$2.80] and John Campbell rounded out the top three.
The win was Spam Spade’s third in seven tries this year giving him nearly $40,000 in winnings. The nine-time winner now boasts a bankroll of $277,315.
In the $31,500 Fillies & Mares Invitational Pace, Darlins Delight [$2.60, $2.10, $2.10] scored her third straight Open level win for trainer Jeffrey Stafford and White Birch Farm of Allentown, New Jersey.
Kg Delight and Brian Sears and Flirtiscape with Tetrick took turns on the front through opening panels of :27.1 and :55.3 while Yannick Gingras moved Darlins Delight first-up from fourth. The six-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight led the field past the 1:23.1 check in point and turned back Dont Deny Me and David Miller around the turn. She edged away down the stretch to trip the teletimer in 1:50.2.
Flirtiscape [$2.60, $2.60] finished a length back in second with Double Dream N [$4.20] and George Brennan coming on for third.
Darlins Delight, a winner of 32 races and over $2.8 million, has won five out of 10 starts so far this year earning nearly $220,000.
In the $5,000 non-wagering American Harness Drivers Spring Pacing Series Final held before the start of the regular card, 17-year-old Harry Landry engineered the 1:58.3 winning trip aboard the Stacey Chiado trained Ms Ez Pass. Landry scored his fourth consecutive driving victory after a win this afternoon in the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series at Freehold Raceway and two more on May 30.
To view Friday's results, click here.
(With files from NJSEA and SBOANJ)