Meadowlands: Dunn drives Be Perfect BG, Bookie J to NJSS triumphs

The 2026 New Jersey Sire Stakes season began with $25,000 races for 3-year-old pacers of both sexes on Saturday night, and Dexter Dunn won both of them with filly Be Perfect BG and gelding Bookie J.

Be Perfect BG, who hadn't been seen in a pari-mutuel race since her New Jersey Sire Stakes final on August 1 of last year, took the lead past the 27 4/5 quarter in her $25,000 event, and following middle-half fractions of 54 4/5 and 1:23, she sprinted home in 27 seconds flat to win by three lengths in 1:50. She Stings (Joe Bongiorno) was second and Interstellar (Jason Bartlett) came in third.

Tony Beaton trains Be Perfect BG, by Perfect Sting and bred by 3 Brothers Stables, for owner Ecurie CSL. She has won all six of her starts, has earned $134,450 and paid $2.20 to win.

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Dunn and Bookie J were third at the 27 second quarter-mile marker in the event for the colts and geldings, and Dunn put him in motion in the backstretch to take control away from Be Sting (Todd McCarthy) past the half, which was posted in 55 seconds flat. From there, Bookie J went on to hit three-quarters in 1:23 1/5 and held off a rallying from second-over Azrael Blue Chip (Andy McCarthy) by a nose at the wire in a 1:50 mile. Thisbeestings Deo (Yannick Gingras) collected third.

A gelded son of Perfect Sting bred by Yankeeland Partners, Bookie J was sent out by Chris Ryder for owner Ken Jacobs. Bookie J has a summary of 7-2-3 from 14 tries, has pocketed $243,368 and returned $4 to win.

Second-level "Silver" divisions, with purses of $10,000, went to filly Perfect And Sweet (by Perfect Sting and bred by Elmer Smucker) in 1:52 4/5 for driver Jason Bartlett, trainer/co-owner Ron Coyne Jr. and co-owners Blair Corbeil, Richard Jack, Larry + Gregg Stable and colt Perfect Cabernet (by Perfect Sting and bred by Sarah Andrews and Angela Cornell) in 1:53 1/5 for driver Lauren Tritton, trainer Shane Tritton and owner Joshua Graber.