Meadowlands: Well-bred Ariana G splashes to New Jersey Sire Stakes triumph

The 2016 New Jersey Sire Stakes season for 2-year-olds began on Friday night at the Meadowlands with a pair of divisions for trotters of both sexes, and a single split for each gender on the pace.

Ariana G, a full sister to last year's Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot champion All The Time, began her career in a monsoon, but she got the job done for driver Yannick Gingras, winning her $20,000 test by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:58 2/5. Ice Attraction (Ake Svanstedt) and Southwind Prius (Andy Miller) grabbed second and third.

The winner is a daughter of Muscle Hill-Cantab It All (Cantab Hall) trained by Jimmy Takter for owners/breeders Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz. She paid $2.80

Checkmate Time (Scott Zeron) won the other $20,000 flight for the rookie trotting fillies, blasting home in 26 1/5 to prevail by half a length in 1:58 1/5. The winner was fifth at three-quarters, but her strong brush carried her past pace-setter and eventual runner-up Southwind Avanti (Dave Miller) and third-place finisher Evelyn (Svanstedt).

Roy Dobbins owns and bred and Dennis Laterza trains Checkmate Time, a filly by Muscle Hill. Out of the Garland Lobell mare Miss Checkmate, Checkmate Time is a half-sister to the likes of $218,000 earner Wind And A Prayer. Checkmate Time returned $7.00.

On the trotting colt side, Hammer Time (Dave Miller) won the first $20,000 division from first-over in 1:58 1/5, despite noticeably drifting out through the stretch. He beat 4-5 favorite and fraction-setter What The Hill (Gingras) by a head, with Eternal Patrol (Marcus Melander) back in third.

Andrew Harris trains Hammer Time, a colt by Muscle Hill, for owner Glat Kosher Racing. An $18,000 buy at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Hammer Time is out of the Self Possessed mare Precious Lindy, which makes him a half-brother to $701,000 earner Celebrity Bluechip. Hammer Time paid $12.00.

New Jersey Viking (Svanstedt) was impressive in the other $20,000 section for the group, as he moved from second to first past the 29 4/5 opening quarter and went on to prevail by a length and a quarter in 1:55 4/5. Southwind Cobra (Gingras) was the runner-up and Fly On (Andy Miller) collected third.

Svanstedt also trains New Jersey Viking, a Muscle Hill colt, for owners Knutsson Trotting Inc. and Little E LLC. New Jersey Viking, who was taken out of the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for $77,000, is out of the Broadway Hall mare Hall Of Wishes. She earned over $207,000 in her career. New Jersey Viking returned $13.80.

The lone $25,000 race for pacing colts saw Every Way Out (Aaron Lambert) power to the lead from first-over in the stretch en route to a 2 1/4 length tally in 1:55 4/5, capped off with a 26 1/5 final quarter. Deo Galileo (Scott Zeron), who led much of the way, had to settle for second, and Icanwithmagic (Dave Miller) snagged third.

Lambert also trains and owns the victorious If I Can Dream colt, who was purchased for $12,000 in Harrisburg. He is out of the Real Artist mare Every Play, a half-sister to millionaire Cam Swifty. Every Way Out paid $6.40.

Even-money favorite Livingthedream delivered the goods in the $25,000 filly pace. Driver Marcus Miller put her on the point right at the 57 2/5 half, and she would not be caught from there, winning by a length and a half in 1:54 4/5. Wonderful World (Corey Callahan) battled tenaciously from first-over and came in second, and Maiden Dream (Jim Marohn Jr.) completed the trifecta.

Trainer Erv Miller also bred and co-owns Livingthedream, a daughter of If I Can Dream, with Ronald Michelon. Livingthedream is out of the Sportsmaster mare Fox Valley Lucerne, who has produced the likes of $148,000 earner After Alimony. Livingthedream returned $4.00.