Freshman pacers and trotters on display this weekend
This Saturday evening the Meadowlands will offer a stellar card that includes four lucrative stakes for two-year-olds of both gaits and genders then on Sunday evening Rosecroft Raceway will kick off its 10-race program with a quartet of Maryland Sire Stakes events for juveniles of both gaits and genders.
Just prior to the midway point of the card at the Meadowlands on Saturday, a full field of 10 juvenile pacing fillies will clash in the $380,000 Three Diamonds Stakes final but the race appears to be among three genuine contenders for this event and divisional honors as well.
Division leader Youaremycandygirl has won eight of 10 starts and banked $715,000 and sports a mark of 1:50, but she also drew post 10 on the outside and will have to work to get in contention early and then still have ample kick in the lane. Kissin In The Sand has won seven of 13 starts and earned nearly $230,000 and drew inside, while Rainbow Room, a daughter of Hall of Fame mare Rainbow Blue, sports a 7-3-1 slate and banked almost $425,000 and will have to overcome and outside slot.
Then one race later in the $420,000 Goldsmith Maid for two-year-old trotting fillies, Plunge Blue Chip looms the one to beat for trainer-driver Ake Svandstedt having already won eight of nine starts and earned over $200,000. But she and other contenders Hey Blondie and Seviyorum have already yielded division honors to the idle Manchego who will get some consideration for trotter of the year and even horse of the year.
Then two races later in the $410,000 Governor's Cup for two-year-old colt pacers, a race that will almost assuredly decide divisional honors unless a shocker occurs, Breeders Crown hero Stay Hungry and Metro Pace winner Lost In Time will meet again, while the improving Springsteen and Nutcracker Sweet will look to play genuine spoiler roles. Stay Hungry has won six of eight starts and earned $440,000, while Lost In Time owns four wins and $412,000 banked from eight outings. A win by either colt should elevate that one to divisional honors.
Then one race later in the $465,000 Valley Victory for two-year-old colt trotters, Fourth Dimension goes in quest of his eighth win from 11 starts for trainer Marcus Melander, while Fashionwoodchopper has won five of 10 starts. Takter trainees Wolfgang and Samo Different Day have combined for five wins and nearly $500,000 banked, but either one would have to win impressively to get serious consideration for year-end honors.
Then one night later the Sunday evening card at Rosecroft Raceway kicks off with a quartet of $40,000 Maryland Sire Stakes final for two-year-olds of both gaits and genders. Although none of the winners will be in contention for Dan Patch awards, the connections of those horses will nevertheless be very happy.
In the first of the four freshman finals at Rosecroft for freshman pacing fillies, HS Shauna (Roger Plante, Jr.) will look to continue her local dominance for trainer Steve LeBlanc when she faces Miss Choptank (Victor Kirby). Among the other six juvenile pacing fillies looking to play a spoiler role, Plain Old Jane and Princess Rusty appear to have the best chance of splitting the top pair.
One race later in the MDSS final for freshman filly trotters, Gaagaa Gone (Corey Callahan) has won eight of nine starts for her owner-driver and looks unbeatable is she stays flat, sporting a 1:57.2 mark for trainer Richard Hans. But JAs Going Away (Allan Davis) benefited from Gaagaa Gone's early break in the first MDSS final over this oval and will look to duplicate her 1:57.2 score and similar upset performance in this renewal.
One race later in the MDSS final for freshman pacing colts, Allie's Finale (Roger Plante, Jr.) will look to continue his dominance against the local juvenile boys but his potential seventh win from 10 starts will have to come from post eight on the far outside. Genuine contenders include Lloyd's All In, I Run This Show, Toms Tyrannosaurus, Bo Breeze and Redline Rusty. The busy group of juvenile pacing colts has combined to win 24 of 62 starts and earned nearly $170,000 thus far.
Then one race later in the MDSS final for two-year-old colt trotters, No Drama De Vie will seek to prove that his 1:56.2 score two weeks ago in just his third lifetime start was no fluke when he clashes against opening round final hero What That Is, who sports five wins from nine starts and a 1:56 mark. Upset prospects include Iron Mine Bro and Judge Bob, but both will need considerable racing luck and perhaps some minor miscues from the two favorites in order to succeed here.
Just prior to the midway point of the card at the Meadowlands on Saturday, a full field of 10 juvenile pacing fillies will clash in the $380,000 Three Diamonds Stakes final but the race appears to be among three genuine contenders for this event and divisional honors as well.
Division leader Youaremycandygirl has won eight of 10 starts and banked $715,000 and sports a mark of 1:50, but she also drew post 10 on the outside and will have to work to get in contention early and then still have ample kick in the lane. Kissin In The Sand has won seven of 13 starts and earned nearly $230,000 and drew inside, while Rainbow Room, a daughter of Hall of Fame mare Rainbow Blue, sports a 7-3-1 slate and banked almost $425,000 and will have to overcome and outside slot.
Then one race later in the $420,000 Goldsmith Maid for two-year-old trotting fillies, Plunge Blue Chip looms the one to beat for trainer-driver Ake Svandstedt having already won eight of nine starts and earned over $200,000. But she and other contenders Hey Blondie and Seviyorum have already yielded division honors to the idle Manchego who will get some consideration for trotter of the year and even horse of the year.
Then two races later in the $410,000 Governor's Cup for two-year-old colt pacers, a race that will almost assuredly decide divisional honors unless a shocker occurs, Breeders Crown hero Stay Hungry and Metro Pace winner Lost In Time will meet again, while the improving Springsteen and Nutcracker Sweet will look to play genuine spoiler roles. Stay Hungry has won six of eight starts and earned $440,000, while Lost In Time owns four wins and $412,000 banked from eight outings. A win by either colt should elevate that one to divisional honors.
Then one race later in the $465,000 Valley Victory for two-year-old colt trotters, Fourth Dimension goes in quest of his eighth win from 11 starts for trainer Marcus Melander, while Fashionwoodchopper has won five of 10 starts. Takter trainees Wolfgang and Samo Different Day have combined for five wins and nearly $500,000 banked, but either one would have to win impressively to get serious consideration for year-end honors.
Then one night later the Sunday evening card at Rosecroft Raceway kicks off with a quartet of $40,000 Maryland Sire Stakes final for two-year-olds of both gaits and genders. Although none of the winners will be in contention for Dan Patch awards, the connections of those horses will nevertheless be very happy.
In the first of the four freshman finals at Rosecroft for freshman pacing fillies, HS Shauna (Roger Plante, Jr.) will look to continue her local dominance for trainer Steve LeBlanc when she faces Miss Choptank (Victor Kirby). Among the other six juvenile pacing fillies looking to play a spoiler role, Plain Old Jane and Princess Rusty appear to have the best chance of splitting the top pair.
One race later in the MDSS final for freshman filly trotters, Gaagaa Gone (Corey Callahan) has won eight of nine starts for her owner-driver and looks unbeatable is she stays flat, sporting a 1:57.2 mark for trainer Richard Hans. But JAs Going Away (Allan Davis) benefited from Gaagaa Gone's early break in the first MDSS final over this oval and will look to duplicate her 1:57.2 score and similar upset performance in this renewal.
One race later in the MDSS final for freshman pacing colts, Allie's Finale (Roger Plante, Jr.) will look to continue his dominance against the local juvenile boys but his potential seventh win from 10 starts will have to come from post eight on the far outside. Genuine contenders include Lloyd's All In, I Run This Show, Toms Tyrannosaurus, Bo Breeze and Redline Rusty. The busy group of juvenile pacing colts has combined to win 24 of 62 starts and earned nearly $170,000 thus far.
Then one race later in the MDSS final for two-year-old colt trotters, No Drama De Vie will seek to prove that his 1:56.2 score two weeks ago in just his third lifetime start was no fluke when he clashes against opening round final hero What That Is, who sports five wins from nine starts and a 1:56 mark. Upset prospects include Iron Mine Bro and Judge Bob, but both will need considerable racing luck and perhaps some minor miscues from the two favorites in order to succeed here.
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