Meadowlands: McCarthy posts NJSS double as part of Saturday grand slam

The second leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacers on Saturday night at the Meadowlands saw three dashes - two for colts and geldings and one for fillies - that each went for a purse of $25,000.

In the first division for males, one week after getting nipped on the wire, Manolete (Cattlewash-Glancewithme) made amends with an easy score after going a pocket trip for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Bruce Saunders. He completed the mile in a lifetime-best 1:50 3/5 and returned $2.80 to win as the 2-5 favorite.

Smooth Dream (Cattlewash-Dreamlands Latte) stayed perfect in four seasonal starts by recording a fourth dominant win in the other division for males. Todd McCarthy handled the Noel Daley trainee, who moved to the top on the way to the five-eighths before drawing off to an easy score in 1:50 4/5. As the 1-5 public choice, he paid $2.40 to win.

Reckless Abandon (Cattlewash-Reclamation) used a well-timed move on the way to a narrow victory in a lifetime-best 1:50 in the split for fillies. Todd McCarthy opted to vacate the pocket at the five-eighths and went around leader Shesgotthejack before prevailing after a stretch-long battle with 3-2 favorite Worklifebalance by a head. Reckless Abandon paid $7.40 as the 5-2 third choice.

AETOS KRONOS S SHARP IN CUTLER PREP: Heading into the Saturday overnight feature at the Meadowlands, the headlines were all about Antognoni S, the standout from the Ron Burke barn who was seeking a seventh straight score to get ready for next week’s $175,000 (est.) Arthur J. Cutler Memorial.

Apparently, Aetos Kronos S forgot to read the paper.

A 9-year-old son of Bold Eagle-Will Of A Woman, Aetos Kronos S was the last one to the lead in the $25,000 winners-over trot, and hit the wire a 1 3/4 length winner in 1:51 3/5, a lifetime-best.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

There was plenty of action early, as Celebrity Bambino, Sir Pinocchio and Aetos Kronos S all left the gate alertly, leaving 6-5 favorite Antognoni S to race at the back of the pack.

Sir Pinocchio led at the quarter in 28 seconds with the speedy Lexus Kody alongside second to challenge and take over the lead. The shuffle continued as Outside The Fire grabbed the top while parked at the half in 55 3/5.

That's when the race took on a drastically different look, as 6-5 favorite Antognoni S went on a break, the first time he's gone off-stride this year after staying flat in his first nine outings.

Enter Aetos Kronos S, who tracked Outside The Fire before moving to the lead as they hit the far turn. He passed three-quarters with a 1 1/2 length edge in 1:23 2/5. There would be no more lead changes, as Aetos Kronos S reported home an easy winner after racing clear on the point through the lane. S I P, a 76-1 longshot, rallied furiously to get second and complete a Marcus Melander-trained exacta. Lexus Kody was third.

"He's getting better with every run," said winning driver Dexter Dunn. "We made a move down the back and he was really strong tonight. When you're racing trotters like that, you always have to be worried [in the stretch], but he was really trotting strongly right to the wire. He's in good form and we are looking forward to [the Cutler] next week with him."

After winning for the second time in three tries this year, Aetos Kronos S lifted his lifetime stats to 21 victories in 65 tries, good for earnings of $1,402,291 for owners Jeffrey and Michael Snyder. As the 9-5 second choice, he paid $5.60 to win.

A LITTLE MORE: Dunn and Todd McCarthy were the driving stars of the night, as each recorded four winners. Mike Russo led the trainers with two walks down victory lane. There were no winning tickets sold on the 14th race Hi-5 (or Pentafecta, if you prefer), creating a carryover of $11,399 for Friday's 14th dash. All-source betting on the 14-race program totaled $1,868,276. Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m.

--edited press release (Meadowlands)--