Meadowlands: Babies, Hambo eligibles, Kissin In The Sand in qualifying action

The Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace elimination day edition of Breakfast With The Babies (BWTB), sponsored by Jules Siegel’s Fashion Farm, took place on another muggy Saturday morning at the Meadowlands. The track was fast and the temperature was in the 80’s with a slight crosswind when the trotting fillies stepped onto the track to contest the first race at 9:00 A.M.

Colt pacer Tall Dark Stranger demanded a bid of $330,000 at last fall’s Lexington sale and his first foray into racing indicated the money was well spent. Yannick Gingras bided his time along the rail early with the son of Bettor's Delight as Just Say Joe (Matt Kreuger) rolled along on the lead through a 1:28 3/5 six panels. When the field turned home, Gingras fanned Tall Dark Stranger wide off his cover, and he roared by the field with strong and sure strides through a 26 1/5 last quarter for the 1:55 2/5 win over the closing Force N Fury (Dexter Dunn) and Sea Of Life (Andrew McCarthy). Crawford Farms Racing, Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms, and Howard Taylor own the winner, trained in the Nancy Johansson stable. James Avritt bred the colt.

She’s Speechless (Marcus Miller) converted a pocket trip into a 1:54 4/5 (27 2/5 final quarter) win in a tight photo over Caviart Heather and late-charging Annabella Hanover (Dexter Dunn) in the lone filly pace. The Artspeak filly is trained by Chris Freck for owner Anthony Olswfski, who bought her at the Harrisburg sale for $17,000 from the Hanover consignment.

The day's opener was won by the Diamond Creek homebred Father Patrick trotting filly Bayou (Tim Tetrick) in a 1:57 1/5 (28 second last quarter) front-stepping masterpiece over Contepartiro Deo (Andy Miller) and Questichap (Trond Smedshammer). Linda Toscano, on the threshold of her induction into the Living Hall of Fame on Sunday, is the trainer.

Crucial (Gingras) was a very impressive winner in her debut for the Ron Burke barn. Falling into the pocket as Wine Rack Hanover (Dunn) set easy fractions, Crucial tipped out in the stretch and went zooming by through a 27 1/5 final quarter. The royally-bred Father Patrick filly, the first foal from Jolene Jolene, Crucial required a $200,000 final bid at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale (LSYS) from Burke Racing, Bill Donovan, J&T Silva, Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi. Steve Stewart, Maumee River Stable, Black Creek Farm, and Martin Schmucker are the breeders.

Harry Landy drove his Father Patrick colt Father Figure to a 1:58 2/5 (28 2/5 final quarter) win on the front, holding off Light Blue Movers (Ake Svanstedt) and Zacapa (Jimmy Takter) under minimal urging. Father Figure was a $20,000 bargain purchase at the Lexington sale last fall from breeder Marvin Katz.

A pair of really sharp-looking colts battled to the wire in race four, with Primo Padre (McCarthy) holding off the charging Chestnut Hill (David Miller) through a 27 2/5 end to a 1:58 1/5 mile. Rose Run Voyage (Svanstedt) stayed for third. The winner is trained by Tony Alagna for Kelly Walker, who bred and owns the son of Father Patrick.

Hambo Prep Qualifier

Several serious Hambletonian candidates lined up for the seventh race qualifier as a prep for next week’s Stanley Dancer Memorial, with Pilot Discretion (McCarthy) continuing his unbeaten streak, but he had to trot a 1:51 4/5 (26 4/5 last quarter) mile to hold off the late-charging Don’t Let’em (Gingras), who went a remarkable final half and 26 flat last quarter. These two trotted strong right through the wire, leaving the crowd to ruminate over the possibilities regarding the forecasted dominance of the great Greenshoe heading into the August 3 Hambletonian.

Kissin In The Sand (Zeron) qualified on Lasix for trainer Nancy Johansson this morning and looked strong after a few sub-par efforts, leading all the way and sprinting home in 25 4/5 to close out the 1:50 2/5 mile under wraps. Soho Chelsea A (McCarthy) was a restrained second and Odds On Lauderdale (Krueger) third. Nancy Johansson trains the champion filly.

Zeron also won the day's final flight, taking 3-year-old pacing filly My Lady Dude to a 1:53 1/5 win for trainer Dave McGinnis.

--press release (the Meadowlands)--