Meadowlands: Dexter Cup won by Magic Punk, Ygritte upsets in Lady Suffolk

Magic Punk, with trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt in the sulky, made a bold rally in the stretch on Saturday night to capture the Grade 3 $157,125 Dexter Cup at the Meadowlands in a 1:53 1/5 clocking that became a stakes record with the race formerly held only on half-mile tracks. Magic Punk, the slight 7-5 favorite, tracked down second choice Southwind Alamo in the late stages for an easy score.

Who's Eyes Blues, with Yannick Gingras, was the fastest to the front, with Nordic Dancer S gaining control at the 28 3/5 opening quarter. Todd McCarthy had put Southwind Alamo in a three-hole on the first turn but sent his horse to the front shortly before the 57 1/5 half had been reached. McCarthy tried to lose the field a bit with a 1:25 2/5 three-quarter clocking giving him separation. In the meantime, Svanstedt and Magic Punk appeared to be stalled behind the dull cover of Midwind Chimp on the final turn.

Once into the homestretch, Svanstedt let Magic Punk trot, and he made up ground quickly as Southwind Alamo appeared to weaken. Once passed Southwind Alamo dug in, though, to preserve the place spot ahead of Who’s Eyes Blues, with Nordic Dancer S weaving through traffic for fourth.

Magic Punk, a son of Wishing Stone, is owned by Magic Punk Inc. and returned $4.80 as the public choice, winning in his first start of 2026.

For Team Svanstedt that captured last year's Hambletonian, Magic Punk has stamped himself as a contender. "He's in the top three in our barn," said Sarah Svanstedt following the victory.

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Ygritte, a daughter of Gimpanzee, put in a monster performance both leaving the gate early and then challenging even-money favorite All Time Trot S first-over for the final three eighths to capture the $67,650 Lady Suffolk, the sophomore filly companion to the Dexter Cup. Making just her third career start, Ygritte set a personal-best 1:53 3/5 mile for driver Mattias Melander.

Melander had Ygritte sprinting to the front early, and she yielded the top to stablemate Crossover before the 28 3/5 opening quarter. All Time Trot S and Yannick Gingras were parked three-eighths before getting the front, and she held control before the 57 2/5 half. Melander turned up the pressure, pulling Ygritte just past the half and going toe-to-toe with All Time Trot S at three-quarters in 1:26 1/5. The two fillies matched strides in the stretch, with Ygritte wearing down the favorite in the last few yards.

Trained by Marcus Melander for owners S R F Stable and Eric Good, Ygritte returned $35.80 to win with All Time Trot S second and Crossover third.

"She showed a lot of toughness. She knows what to do," said Mattias Melander following the victory of Ygritte, who raced just once as a freshman and is now two-for-two as a 3-year-old.