Eastwood Blue Chip fastest in Jr. Trendsetter

The Junior Trendsetter can be a proving ground for green 3 year olds, and a couple stepped to the front of the series contenders on Thursday night at the Meadowlands. Social Network, Take A Walk and Eastwood Blue Chip all won by comfortable margins while Eastwood Blue Chip (1:53.4) was the fastest of the three division winners.

 

Also of note, handle for the Thursday night card was up over the comparable card for 2011--$1,877,484 versus $1,841,823 one year earlier.

 

Social Network, who made seven starts last season, pulled away to a 5 3/4-length score in 1:53.4 with David Miller aboard. Joe Holloway trains the son of Tell All for Val D'Or Farms, who bred the colt in partnership with Brittany Farms and bought sole ownership with a $25,000 bid at the Lexington Selected Sale.

 

John Campbell shot Big League to the front at the first quarter in :27.3, then Miller brushed to the front with Social Network before the half and never was headed. Social Network took a mark of 1:52.4 in breaking his maiden last October before unsuccessfully competing in a Governor's Cup elim.

 

Campbell had to hold Take A Walk together to win, but they got the job done and survived an inquiry to take the second split in 1:55.1. Campbell sent Take A Walk, a colt by I Am A Fool, to the front just past the opening quarter and they opened up a couple of lengths on the field before breaking the beam at the half in :56.3. But from that point on Campbell kept a tight line on his charge, and also had to contend with Take A Walk being on one line. They still won by a comfortable length over Rock Three Times.

 

Take A Walk was making just his fourth career start. He won one of three starts as a freshman, a 2-year-old pace at Pocono in 1:56.2, then was shut down for the year before qualifying Jan. 19 at the Meadowlands.

 

 

Also on the card were two splits of the Tender Loving Care for fillies and mares. The first race boiled down to a two-filly battle through the stretch, with Gottaseeaboutagirl edging Jamie Sue in 1:54.4. Gottaseeaboutagirl, a 3-year-old filly by Western Terror, is trained by Bob Rice. The filly is owned in partnership with Michael Horn, Charles Bonham and Alexander Rice Sr. She now has three career starts--all this season--with two wins and a second. David Miller handled the driving.

 

In the second split, Winning It won by six lengths over Air Guitar Hanover in 1:54.1. Ron Burke trains the Dragon Again filly, who last October caught his eye after she won a race at Praire Meadows in Iowa by 26 3/4 lengths in 1:56. Yannick Gingras was in the sulky and moved the filly first-over before the half to take control of the race. Air Guitar Hanover had an open lane, but not enough closing kick to make it a race.