Meadowlands: Southwind Frank, All The Time impressive in New Jersey Sire Stakes

Dan Patch Award winner Southwind Frank and Breeders Crown champion All The Time began their seasons with authoritative victories in first round action of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 3-year-old trotters on Friday night at the Meadowlands.

Southwind Frank, driven by Yannick Gingras, made a controlled move from fourth to first en route to the 57 second half in the lone $25,000 split for male trotters, then came home in a 55 1/5 back half to win by almost three lengths in 1:52 1/5. Brooklyn Hill (Dave Miller) was second from the pocket, and Bar Hopping (John Campbell), who was parked in mid-pack for most of the way, trotted on through the lane to finish third just behind Brooklyn Hill.

Ron Burke trains Southwind Frank, a colt by Muscle Hill, for owner Southwind Frank Partners of Pennsylvania. This was his 12th win from 13 career starts, and he has now earned $798,919.

Gingras also drove All The Time in the first of two $20,00 divisions for trotting fillies, and she would circle from third to first on the way to the 58 1/5 half. She would go on to reach three-quarters in 1:26 3/5, and then she sprinted a final quarter of 26 4/5 to win by 7 1/4 lengths in 1:53 2/5. Hillosophical (Scott Zeron) was the runner-up, and Southwind Pearl (Corey Callahan) rounded out the trifecta.

All The Time is a daughter of Muscle Hill trained by Jimmy Takter for owners/breeders Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz of Ontario. This was her eighth win from 13 lifetime attempts, and she has now banked $493,396.

In the other test for filly trotters, Wildflower (Ake Svanstedt) pulled first-over out of third at the 1:27 2/5 three-quarters and wore down leader Southwind Hope (Andy Miller) late to prevail by a head in 1:55. Cree (Scott Zeron) and Jezebel De Vie (Dave Miller) finished in a dead-heat for the third position.

Svanstedt also trains and co-owns the winner, another filly by Muscle Hill, with partners Douglas Sipple and Mal & Janet Burroughs LLC. of Delaware and New Jersey. The winner of the Kindergarten Series final at Vernon last year, Wildflower scored her second career triumph, and she has now earned $150,298.