Talent was out in full force this morning at the Meadowlands Racetrack, as proven stars and budding talent took to the track for a large qualifying
session.
The action kicked off with the four-year-old Erv Miller-trained Cantab Hall horse Mr Cantab putting in his first charted line of 2010 in Race 1. The bay horse sat third through the opening half for driver George Brennan, who pulled first-up in the third quarter. Mr Cantab dug in through the lane and got up for a three-quarters of a length victory in 1:57.4 off a :28.2 final quarter.
The second race of the morning saw a pair of the sport's top trotters, Corleone Kosmos and Buck I St Pat, both record their first charted miles of the campaign.
John Campbell and Corleone Kosmos left from Post 9 for trainer Jeffrey Webster and worked out a two-hole ride past the opening half. In the third panel, Campbell tipped the eight-year-old SJs Photo gelding out for an advance. Campbell and the career winner of over $1.9 million in purses gained the lead in the stretch, but had to fend off Buck I St Pat for a three-quarter length victory in 1:57.2. Trained by Ron Burke and driven by Tim Tetrick, Buck I St Pat, a seven-year-old daughter of Jailhouse Jesse, had been settled away fifth from Post 7 and passed many horses late to be in contention at the wire.
Seaside, the 2009 Kentucky Filly Futurity winner, was qualifying in Race 3 after having had broke stride March 13 in a Pompano Park Open. With David Miller at the controls from Post 4, the four-year-old daughter of Yankee Glide went to the top and cut all the fractions. Seaside would go on to post a four-length victory for Miller and trainer Jonas Czernyson.
With John Campbell in the bike, $1.3 million earner Tug River Princess qualified in Race 9 for trainer Jeffrey Webster. In what was her first charted mile of 2010, the five-year-old daughter of Badlands Hanover started from Post 8 and ended up pacing her mile in 1:54.3, but she finished fifth, beaten six lengths by Southwind Swallow (who was driven by Ron Pierce and paced in 1:53.2).
Race 12 was the scene of the 2010 charted debut of the Bruce Saunders-trained Rock N Roll Heaven. The three-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover has been rated at 8-1 in Trot Magazine's 2010 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book.
With Dan Dube in the bike, Rock N Roll Heaven started from the rail and settled into fourth early on. Dube sent the Bluegrass Stakes divisional winner to the lead in the second quarter. Rock N Roll Heaven went on to click off the opening half-mile in :59 and the three-quarters in 1:26.4 before coming home with a 28-second final quarter mile. The win time was 1:54.4 and the margin of victory was one and a quarter lengths. Fellow NA Cup eligible Cambassador finished second, as he paced his mile in 1:55 and came home with :26.4 final-quarter speed.
A trio of well-known older pacers each made a bid to hit the wire first in Race 13, as Won The West, Shark Gesture and Keep It Real battled it out late.
Six-year-old Western Hanover gelding Won The West proved to be the best in the dash, as the David Miller-driven and Ron Burke-trained gelding closed in :26.4 for a head victory in 1:53. Shark Gesture, who was in rein to George Brennan for trainer Larry Remmen, also closed by just fell short and finished second. Four-year-old Real Artist horse Keep It Real, who was driven by Brian Sears for trainer Lou Pena, had gone to the lead earlier in the mile and had tried to fend off the closers. Keep It Real finished third, beaten just a half length.
Race 14 saw another notable older pacer, Share The Delight, dominate a couple of other top stars.
With Yannick Gingras in the bike for trainer Linda Toscano, five-year-old Bettors Delight horse Share The Delight went straight to the top from Post 7 and didn't look back en route to a six and a half-length victory in 1:51.1. Driven by Brian Sears for trainer Jim Campbell, four-year-old Western Ideal gelding Dial Or Nodial took a pocket ride and finished second, while Bettor Sweet closed somewhat for third and paced in a solid 1:52.4.
To view the charted harness racing results from this morning's qualifying session at the Meadowlands, click here.