Hambletonian hopeful Whit wore down the leader Zooming in the final strides to win the first of two $22,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes divisions for three-year-old trotting colts on Friday night at Meadowlands Racetrack
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Whit, driven by Tim Tetrick, lowered his mark by six full seconds to 1:52.4 with the victory, his third in 21 career starts. He paid $7.80. Celebrity Bombay got up for third after being parked most of the way. The favourite, Yonkers Trot winner Leader Of The Gang, broke stride past the opening quarter and finished last.
"I know he needed this race to make sure he had a chance at it [the Hambletonian]," Tetrick said. "I thought he raced really well; 1:52.4 was a good mile today. He got home good and hopefully that will make the owners think it's all right to put him in next week."
Homer Hochstetler trains and co-owns the son of Classic Photo with Robert Buddig of Hinsdale, Illinois. Hochstetler plans to enter the colt in the July 30 eliminations for the $1.5 million Hambletonian.
"Today's race was very good and his training has been progressing nicely," Hochstetler said. "He's about right on schedule. He's been drawing kind of poorly and we haven't left with him. I was kind of glad to see Tim [Tetrick] fire him up a bit and get him in the game. I don't know how our chances are in the [Hambletonian] eliminations. I think it's kind of a longshot, but we'll see."
VC Chocoholic got up by a head over Big Sky Storm in the second New Jersey Sire Stakes split for colts and geldings. The son of Chocolatier sat a second over trip and rallied under urging from driver-trainer Trond Smedshammer to post his fourth win of the season in 1:54.4. Winuendo was a length behind the leaders in third.
"Any winning effort is okay with me," Smedshammer said. "He kind of came into himself pretty quickly this year. He's very uncomplicated. He's a very easy horse to rig and train."
Though Purple Haze Stables' VC Chocoholic is eligible to the Hambletonian, Smedshammer said after the race he is not likely to enter the colt in next week's eliminations.
"I know he lacks a little when compared to the best horses," Smedshammer said. "He's a nice horse, though. I don't think he'll be in the eliminations. I don't think he's good enough. I'm not going to put a horse in there just to hope to finish fourth or fifth. He can't win; he just doesn't have enough go. I don't think I'll be putting any of my horses in the eliminations. The best one [Dejarmbro] is not eligible and the other ones are not good enough."
Luckycharm Hanover also made a winning step toward the Hambletonian with a 1:53.4 victory in the $25,000 Open for three-year-old trotters. The son of Andover Hall scored his first win of the season with David Miller in tow. Tom Haughton trains the colt for Bernard Owen, Arthur Rudolph and Rudolph Stables.
"He's been racing pretty well for me lately," Miller said. "He had a problem running in last week and a little bit of soreness. They had him feeling much better tonight. I think he's coming into the eliminations in good shape."
Hambletonian Oaks eligibles were also in action in a pair of $23,500 New Jersey Sire Stakes divisions for three-year-old fillies. Wincinnatti, a daughter of Windsongs Legacy, took the first division in 1:53.2 for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Brett Bittle. Tawesome More, a Muscles Yankee lass, captured the second division in 1:53.3 for reinsman Andy Miller and trainer Tony Alagna.
Corleone Kosmos starred in this week's $32,000 Open Trot, winning in 1:51.4 by a head over In Focus. David Miller drove the nine-year-old S Js Photo gelding for trainer Ross Croghan and owners Bernard Owen, Arthur Rudolph and Rudolph Stables.
The Meadowlands Pick 5 will have a $11,339 carryover heading into Saturday night's card, marking the first time the wager has carried over since its July 2 introduction. Starting in the first race, the Pick 5 is a .50 cent minimum wager with a 15 per cent takeout. A Pick 6 carryover of $7,279 also heads into Saturday. A $1 minimum wager, the Pick 6 begins in race four.
For results from Friday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Friday Results - Meadowlands Racetrack.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)