Big names qualify at Big M

Highly-regarded sophomore pacer Sandro Hanover posted the fastest of 12 qualifiers at the Meadowlands Thursday morning with a 1:52.1 effort, while peer Palone Ranger had to settle for a third-place finish in his contest.

Trained by Mickey Burke, Sandro Hanover already had a win, second and third in three qualifying attempts this year, but the son of Western Hanover posted a career-best effort Thursday with his 6 ¼-length romp. As for Palone Ranger, he started from post nine and was parked the distance, finishing 2 3/ 4 lengths behind the winning Wiggle Out Of This in a 1:55.2 mile. It was the first appearance for the Chris Ryder-trained Palone Ranger since finishing sixth as the favorite in the $575,400 Breeders Crown final at the Meadowlands last November.

The now 4-year-old pacer Runover Feeling finished second by 1 ¼ lengths in his qualifier behind the winning Swami Sayz in 1:53. Last year’s third-place finisher in the $1 million North America Cup final, Runover Feeling had earlier qualified twice at Spring Garden Ranch for trainer Kelly O’Donnell before shipping north to New Jersey.

Also winning a qualifier was 2004 Peter Haughton Memorial Trot winner and 2005 New Jersey Sire Stakes winner New York Yank. With trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer, the 4-year-old son of Yankee Glide rallied late to post a 1:57 victory.

Four-year-old pacing mare Ideal News, who captured last year's $200,000 Miss New Jersey final, finished second by a neck in her qualifier to 6-year-old gelding Return Fire in 1:56.1. It was the first appearance for Ideal News since scratching "sick" out of the Fan Hanover final last August. As for Return Fire, the son of Run The Table earned more than $133,000 last year, a season in which he was claimed six times in Canada. He was purchased last October by trainer George Anthony, who in turn sold his charge to Darryl and Marie Gombert and Jeffrey and Suzanne Rose in January but kept the conditioning responsibilities.

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