Jason Servis notches 1,000th winner

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Jason Servis joined the 1,000 win club here Sunday by sending out the odds-on Meant Tobe Mine to a one-sided victory in the featured ninth race. Servis, 61, who saddled his first winner (Hattab Be You) at Aqueduct in 2002, had an outstanding Championship meeting, winning with 18 of 53 starters including stakes winners Blue Bahia (Captiva Island), Vision Perfect (Silks Run), and Rainbow Heir (Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint).

Servis also trains potential Kentucky Derby starter Firenze Fire.

Baby racing begins

The first 2-year-old races of the meet are on tap this week. On Thursday, a full field of 10 juvenile fillies will go 4 1/2 furlongs for a $65,000 purse in the finale on the nine-race program. The field includes the Servis-trained Mother’s Day (by Union Rags), who brought $125,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale last August. Trainers Todd Pletcher, Mark Casse, Eddie Plesa Jr., and Stanley Gold will also be represented.

A field of only seven was drawn for Friday’s baby race, with trainers Troy Wismer and Michael Yates sending out two youngsters apiece in the 4 1/2-furlong dash, which will go as race 2.

◗ Thursday’s headliner is a $47,000 optional claimer carded at six furlongs and will go as the fourth leg in a Rainbow 6 sequence that begins with a carryover of nearly $186,000. Mr Joshua, a former $12,500 claimer, brings a three-race winning streak into the main event and figures to be favored against a field that also includes chief rival and graded stakes winner Singanothersong, along with the graded stakes-placed Local Hero.