Meadowlands: Test Of Faith impressive in qualifying action

2021 Horse of the Year Test Of Faith led the winners in a loaded qualifying slate at the Meadowlands.

Driven by David Miller for trainer Brett Pelling in the ninth of 15 races, Test Of Faith finished with a ton of pace and in-hand from second-over to tally in 1:52 3/5. The now 4-year-old daughter of Art Major has won 22 of 25 lifetime starts and earned over $1.5 million for owners Mel Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable, and Eddie Gran.

Pelling also won qualifier ten with Treacherous Dragon, a 3-year-old daughter of Captaintreacherous who was third in the Breeders Crown and second in the finals of the Kindergarten Classic and Three Diamonds. After sitting on the cones in the three-hole for Tim Tetrick, Treacherous Dragon angled out in the lane and used a 26 3/5 final quarter to chase down and defeat Dan Patch Award winner Niki Hill (Dunn) by half a length in a 1:54 2/5 mile.

Trainer Nancy Takter sent out three winners during the session, connecting with 3-year-old Muscle Hill gelding Looks Like Moni (1:55 1/5), 3-year-old Bar Hopping colt Keg Stand (1:55 4/5), and 3-year-old Muscle Hill colt Pretender (1:54). Yannick Gingras drove Looks Like Moni and Pretender, while Scott Zeron piloted Keg Stand.

Tony Alagna also had a hat trick, tallying with last year's Canadian Trotting Classic winner Ahundreddollarbill (1:53), Mohawk Million third-place finisher Valentina Blu (1:55), and Cane Pace and Progress champion Rockyroad Hanover (1:50 4/5). Todd McCarthy steered Ahundreddollarbill, a 4-year-old Chapter Seven gelding, Andy McCarthy drove Valentina Blu, a 3-year-old daughter of Chapter Seven, and Dexter Dunn was at the lines of Rockyroad Hanover, a 4-year-old son of Captaintreacherous. Dan Patch Award winner Venerable was a rallying fourth in the race won by Valentina Blu.

Ron Burke posted a double, with $3.1 million earner Atlanta rallying past Bella Bellini and When Dovescry to prevail in 1:56 1/5, and Just Divine, a 3-year-old daughter of Huntsville who was second in the New York Sire Stakes final last year, taking the final race of the session in 1:54. Both horses were driven by Gingras.

Andy and Julie Miller scored with a pair of 3-year-old trotting fillies. Elegant Charm, a daughter of Father Patrick, got up in the last stride from the pocket to grab a 1:56 decision, and Spendthemoneyhoney, by Muscle Hill, kicked away impressively after a two-hole journey to get the job done by open lengths in 1:56.

Pebble Beach, the Kentucky Championship Series champion from last year, won his first qualifier of 2022 in 1:53, with Todd McCarthy in the bike for trainer Noel Daley. He vaulted three-wide into the lead past three-quarters, and despite waiting on horses in the stretch, held off a surging Market Based (Dunn).

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Also winning qualifiers were:

--Bounty Hunter, a 3-year-old gelding by Huntsville, in 1:54 1/5 for Brian Sears and Robert Cleary
--Rockin On Venus, a 4-year-old son of Rockin Image, in 1:51 3/5 for Tim Tetrick and John Butenschoen