Meadowlands: Kissin In The Sand, Warrawee Ubeaut among big names to shine in qualifiers

Many of the sport’s stars assembled at the Meadowlands for qualifiers on an overcast, windless Saturday morning over a track that may have been slightly dulled by overnight rains with the temperature in the mid 60’s at 10 A.M.

The card began with the Grand Circuit stakes-winning Father Patrick filly Special Honor (Andy Miller) closing through the stretch to edge mile-cutter Fate Smiled (Matt Kakaley) in 1:54 4/5 (27 2/5 final quarter). Can’t Touch It (Scott Zeron) held safe for third and Goldsmith Maid winner Sonnet Grace (Yannick Gingras) was fourth in a conservative effort.

Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld bred and own the winner, trained by Julie Miller.

Hall of Fame trainer Linda Toscano has a sharp-looking prospect in the 3-year-old Muscle Hill colt Guaranteed (Tim Tetrick), who won his second qualifier in as many tries this morning by closing furiously under no urging into a 27 2/5 end of a 1:54 4/5 mile to nip Summit In Sight (A. Miller) and Halliama (Trond Smedshammer).

The winner, unraced at two, was a $125,000 Lexington Select Yearling Sale (LSYS) purchase by Michael and William Pozefsky and Myron Eckstein from breeders Tommy B. Andersson and Courant AB.

Matter Of Fact (Marcus Melander), who led throughout, and the closing French Café (A. Miller) went under the wire together in 1:55 4/5 (28 1/5 final quarter) in race three, with the latter prevailing by a nose. Golden Tricks (Ake Svanstedt) was third.

French Café is another daughter of Father Patrick and is a Katz & Libfeld homebred, again stabled in the Julie Miller barn.

Miss Trixton scored for Melander from first-over in 1:55 3/5 (27 4/5 final quarter) over Trix Are For Kids (Corey Callahan). The winner is a Trixton filly from million dollar winner Possess The Magic, a $105,000 LSYS purchase for the Order By Stable from breeder Hanover Shoe Farm.

Last year’s International Trot winner Cruzado Dela Noche (Mattias Melander) was sharp in his 2019 bow, leading all the way and trotting a 26 3/5 final quarter to hold off Top Flight Angel (A. Miller) in 1:53 3/5. Yes Mickey completed the three-horse field. All three of these top trotters are eligible to the May 4 Cutler Memorial, the first major stake of the 2019 Meadowlands season.

North American record holder Ice Attraction (Andy McCarthy) is back for another season versus the top mare trotters and got her year underway with a front-stepping 1:55 4/5 (27 4/5 final quarter) effort under her own power. Muscle M Up (Sarah Svanstedt) outmuscled E L Platinum and her husband Ake for the place with a nice stretch move. All three are trained in the Svanstedt barn, and Ake owns the winner with Sipple, Burroughs and Little E LLC.

Dan Patch award-winning 2-year-old pacing filly Warrawee Ubeaut (Yannick Gingras) got her sophomore season off to a great start, as the fastest freshman in harness racing history by virtue of her 1:48 3/5 Red Mile win last fall, scored from second-over in 1:53 2/5 with her final quarter in 26 seconds flat. Stonebridge Soul (Dexter Dunn) went well from first-over to be second, with She’s Allright (Kakaley) third.

Warrawee Ubeaut is from the first crop of Sweet Lou and was a $70,000 LSYS buy by Burke, Collura, Silva, Purnell & Libby, and Weaver & Bruscemi from breeder Warrawee Farm.

Gingras and Burke came right back with the good American Ideal sophomore filly pacer St Somewhere for a 1:53 4/5 (27 2/5 final quarter) decision over stablemate Sylph Hanover (Kakaley) and Fool Me Again (David Miller), who closed with good pace for third. St Somehwere shares her ownership group with Warrawee Ubeaut, who bought her from breeder Crawford Farms in Lexington for $55,000.

Kissin In The Sand was absolutely vicious in her return this morning, loping along through even fractions before dragging Scott Zeron home in 26 3/5 for a 1:51 2/5 mile. The Dan Patch 3-year-old filly pace champ won by open lengths over her nemesis from last season Youaremycandygirl (Gingras), who was reserved early but finished with interest in the stretch.

Kissin In The Sand is trained by Nancy Johansson for Marvin Katz and Bud Hatfield.

Captain Victorious (A. Miller) closed to a 1:52 1/5 (26-second final quarter) win for the Millers, besting Caviart Rockland (Zeron) and Sugar Factory (D. Miller) in a race where all six looked good. The $40,000 (LSYS) White Birch Farm product races for Andy Miller Stable, Goehlen, and Huffman.

Love Me Some Lou (D. Miller) was a 1:52 2/5 (26 4/5 last quarter) winner for the Cancelliere brothers Tom (trainer) and John (owner). The Sweet Lou $95,000 LSYS buy sat in the pocket and roared by when asked. Blood Money (Zeron) and De Los Cielos Deo (Gingras) were next across the line. Spring Haven Farm bred the winner.

The 12th and final qualifier saw Filibuster Hanover (Gingras) emerge from the pocket to go by the leading Dealt A Winner (D. Miller) in a 26 2/5 end to a 1:51 1/5 mile. The winner races out of the Ron Burke barn.

--press release (Meadowlands)--