Meadowlands: McCarthy hits milestone thanks to Mother Bonnie's eye-catching debut

Mother Bonnie provided driver Andrew McCarthy with his 2,000th career victory and did so in style, rolling to a 1:55 win in the second of two $20,000 divisions of the second leg of New Jersey Sire Stakes action for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Friday night at the Meadowlands.

Making her career debut after two baby races, Mother Bonnie and McCarthy shot through to the lead from the pole position, yielded to Starita (David Miller) past the 29 2/5 opening quarter, and then moved back into command just before the 58 1/5 half. Mother Bonnie was confronted by first-up challenger, leg one winner, and 1-2 favorite Special Honor (Andy Miller) around the final bend, but Mother Bonnie rebuffed her to the 1:26 2/5 three-quarters, forcing Special Honor back into the pocket off the final bend. From there, it was all Mother Bonnie, as she kicked away to win by 4 1/2 lengths. Special Honor wound up second and Golden Tricks (Ake Svanstedt) got third.

From the first crop of Trixton, Mother Bonnie is trained by Noel Daley for owners/breeders Robert McNerney and Hauser Bros Racng Enterprises LLC. She is out of the unraced Broadway Hall mare Fashion Spooner, a full sister to the likes of Beer League (1:54 4/5, $239,540). She was sent off at 12-1 and paid $26.20 to win.

Andy Miller had a better result in the other split for rookie trotting fillies as French Cafe got up from second-over to prevail in 1:58 1/5, atoning for a nose loss last Friday night. Given (Jimmy Takter), who had taken the lead from the pocket in the lane, was the second-place finisher, and Sari About It (Trond Smedshammer) grabbed third.

Julie Miller trains French Cafe, from Father Patrick's first crop, for owners/breeders Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld. She is the seventh foal out of the Conway Hall mare Creamy Mimi (1:53 4/5, $927,169), making French Cafe a half-sister to French Laundry (Muscles Yankee, 1:52 4/5, $652,823). She was the 1-9 choice and returned $2.20 to win.

The tandem of driver David Miller and trainer Joe Holloway swept the colt trot splits with Lucius Vorenus (1:58) and Battenberg (1:55 4/5). Lucius Vorenus rolled into the lead going to the 58 2/5 half and held sway from there, defeating a surging Soul Strong (Svanstedt) by a head, and Battenberg brushed from fourth to first heading to the 57 3/5 half, opened up a big lead when the pocket horse broke, and got to the wire three-parts of a length to the good over No Drama Please (A. Miller).

Crawford Farms owns and bred Lucius Vorenus, a Father Patrick gelding. Second to the impressive Greenshoe last week, Lucius Vorenus broke his maiden this time out. He is the first foal out of the RC Royalty mare Avalicious ($202,438, 1:53 2/5), a half-sister to two other six-figure earners. Lucius Vorenus was a 7-2 shot and paid $9.40 to win.

Battenberg, a colt by Trixton, is owned by Crawford Farms and Val D'Or Farms. He also won for the first time in his life after finishing second last Friday night. A $210,000 Standardbred Horse Sale purchase bred by Millstream Stable LLC., Battenberg is the first foal out of the Cantab Hall mare Coffeecake Hanover (1:52 4/5, $422,981). Battenberg was sent off at 2-5 and returned $2.80 to win.

On the pacing side, Mollydooker (Brett Miller) bounced back from an equipment break last week to win the lone $15,000 filly flight in 1:55 1/5, and Hurrikane Emperor (Daniel Dube) repeated in the colt pace, stopping the clock in 1:56 1/5.

Mollydooker, a daughter of Great Vintage, is trained by Tony Alagna for owner/breeder Visionary Breeders LLC. She is out of the Richess Hanover mare Fox Valley Zena (1:51 2/5, $286,024), and a half-sister to the likes of Thatsoveryverynice (Vintage Master, 1:51 2/5, $163,689). She paid $4.20 to win as the even-money second choice.

John McDermott Jr. trains Hurrikane Emperor, a Hurrikane Kingcole colt, for owners/breeders Jonathan Klee Racing, Kuhen Racing LLC., and Pegasis Investment Group. He is the second foal out of the Somebeachsomewhere mare Hurrikane Schmumma (1:56 3/5, $26,549) and his full sister Hurrikane Empress won last year's New Jersey Sire Stakes final for 2-year-old pacing fillies.

Rookie pacers also raced on the card in four $10,000 divisions of the Kindergarten Classic Series, and Captaintreacherous sired all four winners. His filly winners were Treacherous Reign (McCarthy/Alagna) in 1:53 1/5 and Izzy Hanover (Scott Zeron/Nancy Johansson) in 1:53 2/5, and the colt victors were Odds On Boca Raton (Zeron/Alagna) in 1:53 4/5 and Captain Ahab (McCarthy/Alagna) in 1:52 2/5.