Meadowlands: Sparkling debut for Caviart Audrey in Home Grown Pace

Caviart Audrey was sensational in her pari-mutuel debut, rallying with a 25 4/5 final quarter to win the $40,000 Home Grown for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Friday night at the Meadowlands. It was one of four events for New Jersey-connected pacers on the card, joining a companion Home Grown tilt for rookie colts and geldings and pair of New Jersey Breeders Maturity finals for 4-year-olds of both sexes.

The Home Grown was for New Jersey-sired, New Jersey Sire Stake Standardbred Development Fund eligibles, or horses foaled in New Jersey, and undefeated Grace Hill (Dexter Dunn) was the 3-5 favorite. She would clear to the lead after the 57 2/5 half and built up an advantage on the rest of the field, including Caviart Audrey (Yannick Gingras), who was fifth, second-over, and almost six lengths behind at the 1:24 4/5 three-quarters.

In the stretch Grace Hill continued to show the way, but she was under urging while clear, leaving the door open for a rallying Caviart Audrey to take advantage. That she did, surging with every stride until she went by en route to a half-length victory in 1:51 4/5. Blonde Onthe Beach (Joe Bongiorno) came in third.

Bred in New Jersey by White Birch Farm, Caviart Audrey is a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere and out of the top-class pacing mare Darlin's Delight (Bettor's Delight, 1:49 1/5, $2,801,926). This makes Caviart Audrey, who was a $280,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase, a full sister to Darlinonthebeach (1:48 1/5, $1,068,648). Caviart Audrey, trained by Nancy Takter for Buck and Judy Chaffee's Caviart Farms, was the 2-1 second choice and paid $6.40 to win.

Summa Cum Laude (Dunn), who had made three starts in stakes action in Pennsylvania coming in to Friday night, led all the way and won the Home Grown for colts and geldings by four lengths in 1:51 4/5. Make My Deo (Brian Sears) was second, followed by Monterey Jack (Gingras).

The victorious Somebeachsomewhere colt is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Phil Collura, J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Summa Cum Laude, who was a $260,000 Standardbred Horse Sale purchase, is out of $1.3 million earner Western Graduate (Western Hanover) and returned $4.60 to win.

The New Jersey Breeders Maturity finals were both raced as non-wagering contests, and the $24,000 tilt for 4-year-old horse and gelding pacers was won by a front-stepping Shake That House in 1:49 1/5 for Joe Bongiorno, Tony Alagna, and owners Crawford Farms Racing and Alan Johnston. Shake That House held off the rally of Graduate Series champion Hurrikane Emperor (Mark MacDonald) to score by a length and a quarter, with Prince Of Tides (Andy Miller) third.

A Beach Cowgirl (Andrew McCarthy) backed into the pocket after dueling through a hot 25 3/5 first quarter with JK American Beauty (Gingras) in the $32,000 4-year-old mare pace final, swung out two-wide in the lane, and out-finished the leader to win by half a length in 1:49 4/5. Hurrikane Lori Ann (MacDonald) came in third.

The victorious daughter of Somebeachsomewhere is trained by Annie Stoebe for owner Yankeeland Partners LLP.