Heavy favourites were sent to the gate in four $100,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes finals on Saturday night (June 4) at The Meadowlands, and when the dust cleared, the results for chalk players were clearly mixed.
Southwind Frank continued his march toward the Hambletonian with an easy win in the three-year-old colt and gelding trot. The son of Muscle Hill went the mile in 1:52.3 for trainer Ron Burke, upping his lifetime record to 13 wins in 14 starts.
As the 2-5 favourite, Southwind Frank returned $2.80 to win. Driven by Yannick Gingras, he finished two lengths in front of Brooklyn Hill. Mavens Way was third.
“Frank’s pretty good right now,” understated Burke in the winner’s circle.
Blue Moon Stride crushed her three-year-old filly pacing foes for a third straight week, winning in 1:51.2 by two and three-quarter lengths over JK Fannie. Rocknroll Vision was third.
Sent off at 1-9, Blue Moon Stride paid $2.20. The Rocknroll Hanover filly was driven by Andrew McCarthy for trainer Mark Harder and is now seven-for-17 lifetime.
Unfortunately, things did not go as well for Boston Red Rocks and All The Time.
Boston Red Rocks had the lead turning for home in the three-year-old colt and gelding pace, but could not hold off a determined Katies Rocker, who prevailed by a neck over the 1-9 favourite despite racing first-over for the final three-eighths of a mile. Ideal Rocky was third.
Katies Rocker paced the mile in 1:50.3 and returned $12.60 to win. The Rocknroll Hanover gelding was driven by David Miller for trainer Jim Campbell.
In the three-year-old filly trot, 1-5 choice All The Time provided live cover for eventual winner Southwind Hope, who stormed home to win by one and a quarter lengths in 1:54.2. All The Time held second while Jazebel De Vie was third.
Southwind Hope paid $25.40 to win. The Muscle Hill miss was driven by Andy Miller for trainer Julie Miller.
MARVELOUS MEL: Mel Mara bullied a talented field of Open Handicap pacers, and in the process, missed the all-time race-mile record by just a fifth of a second when the son of Lis Mara stopped the clock in 1:47, equalling State Treasurer's world record for an older pacing stallion on a mile track. Always B Miki, the 3-5 favourite, was no match for the winner after racing first-over most of the way.
Mel Mara returned $6.80 to win. The seven-year-old pacer was driven by Corey Callahan for trainer Dylan Davis.
CARRYING ON: The two Jackpot Super High Five wagers offered at the Big M have carryovers that are, in one case, good, and in the other, incredible. The fifth race carryover now stands at $12,789.86, while the 12th race wager now has $246,843.80 waiting in the pool for the next program.
All-source wagering on the card totalled $2,883,028.
(With files from The Meadowlands)