Meadowlands: Takter hat trick in Saturday's baby races

Five baby races for 2-year-olds and two qualifiers for 3-year-olds and up were held over an off track on Saturday morning at the Meadowlands.

Trainer Nancy Takter swept the first three races on the card. Her first winner was Bettor's Delight filly Balance (Tim Tetrick), who led and held off a rally by stablemate Always B Idyllic (Dexter Dunn) to win by half a length in 1:58. Bred by Robert McIntosh Stables Inc., C S X Stables, and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc., Balance is owned by Diamond Creek Racing. She's out of the Western Hanover mare West Of L A (1:53 2/5, $252,711), making her a full sister to $1.45 million earner L A Delight and a half-sister to $1.86 million earner Somewhere In L A.

Takter and Dunn then teamed up with trotting filly Mon Cheval, who won from first-over in 1:58 and pacing colt JK Standingovation, who prevailed on the point in 1:56 flat over stablemate JK Miki Mantle (Tetrick), who is out of former Horse of the Year JK She'salady. Mon Cheval, a daughter of Father Patrick, is a homebred for Solveig's Racing Partners and is the second foal out of former Trotter of the Year Shake It Cerry (1:51 2/5, $2,785,319). JK Standingovation, a colt by JK Endofanera, was bred by Victory Hill Farm and sold for $240,000 at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale to 3 Brothers Stables and Caviart Farms. He is a half-brother to Rockin Speed ($324,023).

Ken's Walner, a Walner colt, moved from second to first before the half and won his baby race by three lengths in 1:55 3/5 for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Linda Toscano. It was the second straight victory for Ken Jacobs's $200,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale buy bred by Lindy Farms and Adam Victor & Son Stable LLC. Ken's Walner is out of Ready To Ignite, a Cantab Hall full sister to Explosive Matter (1:52 3/5, $1,510,542) and half-sister to Woodside Charm (1:53, $531,658).

Completing the morning's 2-year-old winners was Troycen, who rallied in the lane for trainer/driver Harry Landy to win by a nose over pace-setter Fashion Ken (Dunn) in a 2:01 mile. A Cantab Hall-Love My Muscles colt, he was bred by Willow Oak Ranch & was an $11,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale buy for Share A Horse Inc. His dam is a half-sister to Amour Ami ($424,914).

Driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna won both of the qualifiers for 3-year-olds and up. Their first victor was Hambletonian Oaks eligible Piper Hanover, a daughter of Father Patrick who won by open lengths in 1:54 2/5 after cutting the fractions, and then Hen Party, a Roll With Joe mare who was last year's New York Sire Stakes and Empire Breeders Classic champion in the 3-year-old pacing filly division, led and held off Let It Ride N (Scott Petherick) in a 1:52 2/5 effort. Piper Hanover was bred by Brittany Farms LLC. and Mel Hartman and is now owned by Brittany Farms and Marvin and Lynn Katz, and Hen Party, bred by Fred Hertrich III, is owned by Crawford Farms LLC.