Meadowlands: It's Academic, Beads prevail in Graduate Series

It's Academic made it three-for-three in the Graduate Series, as driver Yannick Gingras authored a perfect drive behind the Ohio-bred son of Uncle Peter to capture the first of two $50,000 divisions at the Meadowlands on Saturday night.

Gingras and It's Academic easily overcame the outside draw in the seven-horse field, securing the front from favored Hypnotic AM early on the opening bend. It's Academic, trained by Ron Burke, carved out a sensible 27 3/5 opening quarter and then proceeded to put the field to sleep during pedestrian 57 2/5 middle-half. Only Ready For Moni and driver Dexter Dunn made a move in earnest, but that pair waited until the half to become assertive.

Once into the homestretch it was more about steering for Gingras than reminding It's Academic what to do, as the Bradley Grant-owned stallion sprinted hard during the final quarter. Gingras kept his horse straight, thereby keeping Hypnotic AM with no clear path out of a box as Ready For Moni remained glued to the winner's flank right to the wire.

It was a big effort for Ready For Moni as well, as the son of Ready Cash closed within a head of the winner but came up short for his second place finish in a pair of Graduate legs. Hypnotic AM held on for third.

It's Academic won for the sixth time in 11 starts this year, scoring in 1:51 3/5, with a 26 3/5 final quarter, and returned $6.20 to win.

Beads and driver David Miller made it two of three victories in the Graduate Series, capturing the second $50,000 division virtually wire-to-wire in a 1:51 clocking.

Sent off as the 8-5 favorite, Beads and Miller circled three-wide through much of the opening turn before securing command from Get Legs shortly before the 27 1/5 opening quarter. Miller was able to relax the pace as his five rivals followed the leader through a 55 3/5 opening half. With three-eighths remaining Dexter Dunn put Amigo Volo in play without cover, but he failed to prompt the pace, and Beads hit three-quarters well-rested in 1:24.

Get Legs angled from the pocket, and the 2020 Hambletonian champion Ramona Hill came wide into the stretch to challenge Beads, but the son of Archangel, trained by Per Engblom, opened a sizeable lead and coasted to victory with a 27 flat final kicker. Ramona Hill appeared to lose some momentum in her bid in mid-stretch but recaptured her stride and closed strongly for second, with Get Legs settling for third.

Beads has won two of his four starts in 2021 for owner Buckstone Land Livestock, and he returned $5.20 to win.