Meadowlands: Rookies in action in first round of New Jersey Sire Stakes

The New Jersey Sire Stakes season for 2-year-olds of both sexes and gaits kicked off on Friday night at a soggy and sloppy Meadowlands Racetrack.

Ake Svanstedt had two winners on the night, taking the first $25,000 colt and gelding trot with Southwind Tyrion and the second $25,000 filly trot with Presto. Southwind Tyrion came first-over from third on the last turn and chased down leader Topofthehill (Mattias Melander) with a determined rally through the lane, winning by a head in 1:56 1/5 while Presto worked out a covered trip from the trailing post 11 and surged past Beautiful Game (Dexter Dunn) in the closing strides to prevail by a neck in 1:57 at odds of 39-1.

Southwind Tyrion, a Muscle Hill colt, is owned by Svanstedt and S R F Stable. Bred by Southwind Farms LLC., he was a $145,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale buy and is out of the Cantab Hall mare Taylor Jean. Southwind Tyrion was making his career debut after taking a baby race on June 27 at the Meadowlands and paid $3.80 to win as the 4-5 favorite.

Presto, a filly by Trixton, is owned by Brixton Medical Inc. and was purchased for $75,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Presto, who was bred by William Jones and Steve Stewart, was seventh in her lone qualifier on the 27th of June at the Meadowlands and her dam is former Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Trot champion Susie's Magic (Dream Vacation). Presto returned $81.60 to win.

Mon Amour (Dunn), by Muscle Hill, led all the way and won the second grouping for colt and gelding trotters by a length in 1:56 4/5, followed under the wire by Marcus Melander trainees Iznogoud AM (Brian Sears) and Moonstone (Mattias Melander).

Bred by D Farm LLC., Mon Amour was a $180,000 Lexington Selected buy for Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz, Lynn Katz, and Sam Goldband and is trained by Per Engblom. Mon Amour, the second foal out of the Donato Hanover mare Mind Meld, had a fifth and second in two qualifiers over the oval. He was a 3-1 shot and paid $8.20 to win.

Sonofamistery (Sears), who led through soft fractions of 29, 1:00 3/5, and 1:31 1/5, looked like a sure winner in the lane of the final colt and gelding trot contest but then made a break inside the final eighth, handing the lead and the 1:59 1/5 victory to Beyond The Hill (David Miller). Jula Pro Hanover was second, a length and a quarter back, and Narzario was placed third. Jula Pro Hanover and Narzario are both Svanstedt trainees, Ake drove the former and Dunn the latter.

Beyond The Hill, a Muscle Hill colt, is trained by Jim Campbell for owners Jeff Snyder, Michael Snyder, and Onda Racing Stable LLC. Beyond The Hill, who was bred by Order By Stable, sold for $300,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and finished fifth and third in qualifiers at Harrah's Philadelphia and the Meadowlands. Beyond The Hill is out of the Cantab Hall mare Beyond Blue and is a half-brother to six-figure earners Homen Dry (Credit Winner) and Seven Iron (Chapter Seven). Beyond The Hill was sent off at 10-1 and returned $22.20 to win.

Hot As Hill (Joe Bongiorno) also upset in the second of the two filly trot division, as she angled out from a three-hole trip and surged past pace-setter Shining Brightly (Yannick Gingras) to take a one length decision in 1:58 3/5 at odds of 17-1. Material Girl (Dunn) checked in third.

Ron Burke trains the victorious daughter of Muscle Hill for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Larry Karr, Knox Services Inc., and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby. Hot As Hill, who was bred by Stan Klemencic and went for $100,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, qualified three times at Gaitway Farms and once at the Meadowlands, finishing second, fourth, first, and third. Hot As Hill's dam is former Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final winner Smarty Pants (Kadabra) and she's a full sister to Smart As Hill, who was second in the William Wellwood Memorial and third in the Canadian Trotting Classic. She paid $36.60 to win.

The $20,000 pacing events were both held as non-wagering races. The colt and gelding pace was a match race between Sunfire Blue Chip gelding Fika Time (Tim Tetrick) and Lis Mara colt Neyreit (Harry Landy), and when the latter broke in the lane, Fika Time cruised home to the 2:01 1/5 win for breeder/owner/trainer Chase Vandervort. There was a walkover in the filly pace, with Anna Jeans, a daughter of Great Vintage, taking a 2:15 2/5 mark for breeder/owner/trainer/driver John Urbanski.