Meadowlands: New Jersey Sire Stakes finals held for freshmen

New Jersey Sire Stakes action for 2-year-olds at the Meadowlands concluded on Friday night with two $200,000 finals for trotters and a pair of $100,000 championships for their pacing counterparts.

King Of The North (Mark MacDonald) backed up his two wins in the preliminary legs with a 1:52 4/5 victory in the event for trotting colts and geldings. He worked out a second-over trip off fractions of 27 2/5, 56 1/5, and 1:24 3/5 and came home in 27 4/5 to win by a length and a quarter. Temporal Hanover (Brian Sears) was second and Majestic J (David Miller) came in third.

From the first crop of Walner, King Of The North is out of $1.9 million earner Check Me Out. Ray Schnittker trained her during her career, and he also conditions King Of The North.

"He's the first colt, and he was the best looking one that she's had so far. I took a shot with this one, and so far it looks like it's worked out," said Schnittker.

Schnittker bred King Of The North with Steve Jones, but the colt was consigned to the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. He sold for $190,000, and Schnittker said he was determined to get him.

"I was going to buy him. I didn't care if I had partners or not," he remarked. "I don't really need partners, but I've got a bunch of very good people on the horse now, though."

The victory pushed King Of The North's bankroll to $125,000. Owned by Schnittker Ward, Arden Homestead Stable, Nolamaura Racing LLC., and Steve Arnold, King Of The North paid $6.40 to win as the favorite.

"He's in the Peter Haughton and then all the Grand Circuit races. We'll see how it works out. It's pretty tough when you're going 52 this time of year," added Schnittker. "Deweycheatumnhowe won 17 in-a-row, so he's got a ways to go there, but he's been a very nice horse to train right along. He's a very sound horse and a pleasure to be around."

It was good to be owners David McDuffee, Mel Hartman, Paul Bordogna, and the Arnolds (Steve and Mary Kinsey) in the companion event for filly trotters as Venerable (D. Miller) won with a brush-and-crush 1:52 2/5 mile, and their Delilah Hanover (Dexter Dunn) overcame an overland journey to finish third. Splitting them was Jiggy Jog S (Yannick Gingras), who was the runner-up at 36-1.

"I talked to Nifty (trainer Nifty Norman) at least twice a week all winter, and they were together from the get-go," McDuffee said of Venerable and Delilah Hanover. They've both got the Doherty in two weeks. The good thing about Venerable is she's Kentucky-bred, so she'll be down there for a while in the Sire Stakes. That'll give Delilah a break.

"It wasn't hard (to buy them), all you had to do was spend $600,000 or $700,000," McDuffee finished with a laugh.

Venerable, a daughter of Walner who sold for $210,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, also finished off a sweep of the event with this victory, and she has also put away $125,000. Bred by Maumee River Stables, Black Creek Farm, Martin Schmucker, and Steve Stewart, she is out of the Muscle Hill mare Jolene Jolene (1:52 1/5, $231,673), making Venerable a half-sister to Crucial (1:52 4/5, $528,598). Venerable returned $3.60 to win as the 4-5 favorite.

Both pacing events were non-wagering races, and both went to horses by Great Vintage. Not So Evil, driven by Pat Berry, won the flight for fillies on the lead in 1:56 2/5, and Polaris Breech (Tim Tetrick) wired his two foes in a 2:00 2/5 mile in the tilt for colts and geldings.

Not So Evil, who is out of the Western Ideal mare Evil Fight, is trained by Traci Berry and is a homebred for James Craparotta and Pat Berry. Polaris Breech, trained by Chase Vandervort for owner/breeder Leah Vandervort, is out of the Coasttocoast Yankee mare Honey Do Jigtime. Not So Evil added this victory to two wins in the opening legs, and Polaris Breech broke his maiden this evening.