Meadowlands: NJSS action begins for sophomore trotters

This year's New Jersey Sire Stakes races for sophomore trotters got underway as part of Saturday night's card at the Meadowlands with $25,000 Platinum and $10,000 Silver events.

Custom (Jason Bartlett) came up the inside in the lane from the pocket to win the first Platinum split for fillies in 1:54 1/5 for trainer Per Engblom. The daughter of Walner was bred by Diamond Creek Farm with Order By Stable and is owned by Engblom Farm LLC. with Thomas Lind-Holm. The second Platinum flight for the girls went to Madam Cheval, who took command from first-over heading to three-quarters and went on to a 1:55 4/5 trimph for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Nancy Takter. Owned by M Biasuzzi Stable Inc., Madam Cheval was bred by Solveig's Racing Partners.

Trakter also won a Platinum race for the colts and geldings after Gabes Luck led throughout in a 1:55 tally for driver Scott Zeron. Gabes Luck, a Walner colt, was bred by Lindy Farms and is owned by E Five Racing, John Fielding and Daniel Plouffe. American Power capped off the Walner siring sweep in the other colt and gelding trot, as he went two-wide from the pocket before three-quarters and kicked away to a 1:54 3/5 triumph. Dexter Dunn drove American Power, bred by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld, for owner M Biasuzzi Stable Inc. and trainer Marcus Melander.

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Taking the Silver level contests for fillies were Wishuponastar Deo (by Six Pack and bred by Deo Volente Farms) in 1:55 1/5 for driver Jason Bartlett, trainer Per Engblom and owners Engblom Farm LLC., Evans Nation and Hickory Hollow Stables and R Gem (by Propulsion and bred by Crawford Farms) in 1:56 1/5 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Linda Toscano and owners M And L De/Armitage Farm.

A pair of Silver level sections also took place for the colts and geldings and the wins went to King Of The Wind (by Walner and bred by Tony Holmes with Walter Zent) in 1:55 2/5 for trainer/driver Joe Bongiorno and owner El Dorado Stables and Trillion Times (by Tactical Landing and bred by Florent Fonteyne) in 1:57 3/5 for driver Jason Bartlett, trainer Per Engblom and owners Engblom Farm LLC. and Kristen Bartlett.