Trainer Tony Alagna sent out a trio of winners in the New Jersey Sire Stakes for two-year-olds pacers on Friday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
His hat trick began with Sombodythatiustono, who gamely held off Sweetheart winner Jerseylicious to win the $23,000 opener in wire-to-wire fashion. Driven by Andy Miller, Sombodythatiustono carved out a :58.2 opening half before the favourite ranged up to apply pressure. The two fillies were noses apart at the top of the lane, but Sombodythatiustono found another gear and pulled away to a half-length victory in 1:53.2. Miss Lauren finished third.
Sombodythatiustono paid $6.80 to win. She is now perfect in three career starts. The daughter of Tell All-Treasure Keeper was a bargain $3,000 yearling purchase at the Lexington-Selected Sale by Alagna and co-owner Jodi Siamis.
Alagna also visited the winner’s circle with Authorize in the second NJSS division for freshman pacing fillies, race four. Authorize, with Brian Sears at the lines, collared the field in 1:52.4. The homebred daughter of Western Ideal-CPA is owned by Brittany Farms and Brian Monieson Revtrust.
Alagna completed the hat trick with pacing colt Wake Up Peter in the eighth. The son of Rocknroll Hanover-Lovely Lady cruised to a 1:52.2 score with Ron Pierce in tow. Wake Up Peter was a $20,000 yearling buy at the Lexington-Selected Sale by Alagna and partners Louis Willinger, Eagles Soar Partners and Wake Up Peter Partners.
Driver Yannick Gingras enjoyed a five-win night including multiple NJSS victories.
He won a two-year-old pacing colt division with Rockin Amadeus in 1:52 for conditioner Jimmy Takter over Alagna stablemates Rocknmyjeans and Emeritus Maximus, in 1:52. The other split went to Johny Rock, who defeated Alagna's Cyclone in a matching 1:52 clocking, with Andy Miller aboard for trainer John Butenschoen.
Gingras also won a pair of two-year-old trotting filly divisions with Shared Past in 1:55.4 for trainer Jonas Czernyson and Lady Dynamite in 1:57.3 for Mark Harder.
Takter trainee Corky won the lone freshman trotting colt division in 1:57 with David Miller in the sulky.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Meadowlands Racetrack.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)