Meadowlands: Trixton rookies upset in Garden State Stakes

Battenberg and Princess Deo gave sire Trixton a sweep of the $50,000 Garden State Stakes for 2-year-old trotters that were raced on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

In the colt and gelding contest, Battenberg (Corey Callahan) was in the lead through stations of 29 2/5, 59, and 1:27 3/5, and just held off Hudson River (Brian Sears), who came three-wide for the drive off a three-hole journey, by a nose in a 1:56 1/5 performance. No Drama Please (Andy Miller) finished in the third position from a pocket trip.

Battenberg is trained by Joe Holloway and owned by Crawford Farms and Val D'Or Farms. He has two wins from eight starts, and he has now earned $66,446. A $210,000 Standardbred Horse Sale purchase bred by Millstream Stable LLC., Battenberg is the first foal out of the Cantab Hall mare Coffeecake Hanover (1:52 4/5, $422,981). Battenberg was sent off at 7-1 and returned $16.80 to win.

Special Honor (A. Miller) cut fractions of 29 2/5, 58 3/5, and 1:27 2/5 in the filly event, but Princess Deo (Andrew McCarthy), who worked out a second-over trip, rallied in the lane and was up for a 1:56 2/5 decision. She defeated a rallying Evident Beauty (David Miller) by a length and a quarter, with Golden Tricks (Ake Svanstedt) third.

Trainer Noel Daley also co-owns Princess Deo with breeder Deo Volente Farms LLC. and their partners Tom Pontone and John Fodera. Princess Deo now has a record of 3-6-1 from 12 efforts, and she has pocketed $164,446. Princess Deo is the fifth foal out of the good Dream Vacation mare Queen Serene (1:51 4/5, $748,602). Princess Deo, dispatched at 9-2, paid $11.00 to win.