Meadowlands: Sophomore trotters prep for Hambletonian in Tompkins Geers

Saturday’s Tompkins-Geers stakes at the Meadowlands represented the final tune up for many heading into next Saturday’s Hambletonian eliminations. Rome Pays Off paid off in a few ways, capturing the lone $89,100 edition for 3-year-old male trotters in impressive fashion for driver Mattias Melander in 1:52 3/5 as a 10-1 offering.

A runner-up last year in both the Peter Haughton Memorial and Breeders Crown, Rome Pays Off, a son of Muscle Hill, was making just his second start of the year, but Melander was aggressive leaving the gate early and settling in third behind pace-setter Synergy and pocket-sitter Coventry Hall. Yannick Gingras had Synergy in control through moderate fractions of 28 and 56 3/5 before Melander pulled to go on the offensive. Jula Trix Treasure tried to follow that cover but couldn’t gain momentum, thwarting 3-2 favorite Play Trix On Me in the process.

Rome Pays Off reached the leader in a 1:24 3/5 three-quarters and then powered by in the stretch authoritatively. Play Trix On Me was able to get up in a blanket finish for second, with Coventry Hall moving through inside for third.

S R F Stables owns Rome Pays Off and Marcus Melander trains the Hambletonian-eligible sophomore.

Caviart Eva pulled off a 30-1 surprise in the first of two $42,700 Tompkins-Geers events for 3-year-old trotting fillies. Andrew McCarthy guided the Caviart Farms homebred daughter of Trixton on the outside to take a blanket finish in a career-best 1:52 1/5 clocking.

Next Level Stuff entered the race as the 2-5 choice off the strength of three straight sophomore wins for driver Tim Tetrick. The Sebastian K-sired lass was parked past the 27 1/5 opening quarter by Common Sense and Ake Svanstedt. Next Level Stuff continued at a rapid clip from there, setting fractions of 54 3/5 and 1:23 2/5 and remaining in command into the stretch, but in the final eighth she began to tire and five rivals closed in on all sides. Caviart Eva got her nose in front on the wire, with Next Level Stuff second, followed by Spoiled Princess along the inside.

Nancy Takter trains the victorious Hambletonian Oaks-eligible.

Sister Sledge took a new lifetime record in capturing the second Tompkins-Geers division for sophomore fillies, crossing the wire in 1:51 2/5 and tallying by open lengths for Gingras.

Sister Sledge, a daughter of Father Patrick, was used in the early stages but settled in third as Ms Savannah Belle and Dubai Princess exchanged the lead through a 27 2/5 opening quarter. Gingras had control before the 55 4/5 half and from that point it was a one-filly race as Sister Sledge marched to the three-quarters in 1:23 4/5 and then sprinted home well in-hand with a 27 3/5 final quarter. Ms Savannah Belle salvaged second, with Scott Zeron holding Dubai Princess together along the pylons for the third slot.

Sister Sledge returned $2.80 as the prohibitive favorite for owners Burke Racing Stable, J. Melillo, J. & T. Silva-Purnel & Libby, and Weaver-Bruscemi. Ron Burke conditions the Hambletonian Oaks-eligible who won for the 11th time in 16 career starts.