Meadowlands: Freshmen compete in Tompkins-Geers Stakes

Two-year-olds kicked off their Grand Circuit careers in divisions of the Tompkins-Geers Stakes on Saturday night at the Meadowlands. Trainer Ron Burke had a double with pacing colt River Ness and trotting colt Global Pandemic, and I Did It Myway and Peyton Hanover were also victorious.

River Ness, driven by David Miller, tipped out first-over beyond the 57 2/5 half in the first $30,650 flight for pacing colts and geldings, and he advanced into second before favored Atlas Hanover (Andrew McCarthy) reached the 1:25 3/5 three-quarters. In the lane River Ness took command, and despite drifting out, he edged clear to win by a length and three-quarters in 1:53 3/5. Burke was also second with Treacherous Tom (Yannick Gingras), while Atlas Hanover had to settle for third.

A colt from the first crop of Huntsville, River Ness is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Frank Baldachino. Bred by Stewart, Oakwood Farms, and Robinson, River Ness was a $45,000 Standardbred Horse Sale buy. His dam Summertime Lea, a Lislea mare who Burke trained during her career, earned over $715,000. River Ness was sent off at 5-1 and paid $12.60 to win.

Global Pandemic (Gingras) sat in the pocket through panels of 29 1/5, 59 2/5, and 1:28 2/5 in the $48,400 dash for male trotters, went by pace-setter Theresnolimit S (Mattias Melander) in the stretch, and went on to tally by a length and a half in 1:56. Theresnolimit S held second over Keg Stand (Dexter Dunn).

Burke Racing Stable LLC., Hatfield Stables, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. own Global Pandemic, a colt by Cantab Hall. Global Pandemic, bred by Concord Stud Farm LLC., was a $120,000 purchase at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is out of the Dream Vacation mare Nicole's Promise, making him a brother to Livininthefastlane ($460,481). Global Pandemic returned $3.40 to win as the favorite.

In the other $30,650 test for pacing colts and geldings, I Did It Myway (Todd McCarthy) cut fractions of 29, 57 4/5, and 1:25 1/5 and sprinted home in 26 4/5 to win by three lengths in 1:52. Pickup Man Hanover (Billy Dobson) was the runner-up, and Spread The Fear (Tim Tetrick) collected third.

I Did It Myway, a Captaintreacherous colt, is trained by Tony Alagna for breeder/co-owner Joe Sbrocco and co-owners Country Club Acres Inc., Don Latore, and Alagna And Fodera Racing. I Did It Myway is the first foal out of Flyme To The Moon, a daughter of Bettor's Delight who banked $77,122 and had a mark of 1:53 4/5. The 4-5 favorite, I Did It Myway paid $3.60 to win.

Driven by Tim Tetrick, Peyton Hanover raced in sixth and fifth through stations of 28 3/5, 57 3/5, and 1:26 3/5 in the $44,600 Tompkins-Geers for trotting fillies, but she rallied with a 27 4/5 final kicker to get up and win by a length and a half in 1:55 2/5. Pink Gypsy (Gingras) was second after a pocket trip, and pace-setter American Beauty (Dunn) ended up third.

Marcus Melander trains Peyton Hanover, a daughter of Muscle Hill, for owners Jeff Snyder and Four Friends Racing Stable LLC. A Hanover Shoe Farms-bred, Peyton Hanover went for $400,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is the second foal out of Pennies From Above, a full sister to Wheeling N Dealin ($909,687). Peyton Hanover returned $4.60 to win as the public choice.