Freshmen take center stage at the Meadowlands

Break The Bank K exploded out of the gate, took control right before the quarter pole and broke away to a 5 1/2-length lead to take the first of three divisions of the $98,800 New Jersey Sire Stakes for 2-year-old trotting colts on Thursday night at the Meadowlands. 

With driver Ron Pierce in tow, Break The Bank K ($4.80) was first coming out of the gate, momentarily took a backseat to Menard Hanover but regained position before the quarter and drew off to win the first race of the night in 1:56.3. Homerun Hitter was second and Mamas Boo Bear was third.
 
Break The Bank K is a homebred owned by Robert Key of Leechburg, Pa. Rich Gillock trains the son of Revenue-American Misty.
 
In the second division for trotting colts, Classical ($7.60) and driver Andy Miller got up in the final strides to take the second race of the night in 1:57.4. Flex the Muscle was three-quarters of a length behind in second and Temple of Doom was third. The son of Classic Photo-Beverly Crusher, was a $90,000 yearling purchased by John D. Fielding, Jack E. and Peggy C. Hood, and Mystical Marker Farm LLC sold in Harrisburg, Pa.
 
Driver Brian Sears and Holiday Road came three wide, swept to the lead right before the half and held off a late rally from Classic Viking to take the third division for trotting colts in 1:57. Classic Viking finished second and Guard Dog was third. The son of Yankee Glide-Jambo was a $115,000 yearling purchase. Greg Peck trains and co-owns Holiday Road with Jerry Silva, TLP Stable and Patricia Bolte.
 
Foreign Officer sat a perfect pocket trip and stormed down the stretch to win the second of three divisions of the co-featured $121,400 New Jersey Sire Stakes for 2-year-old pacing colts.
 
Andy Miller and Foreign Officer ($7.20) sat behind the pace setting Navaho Ayden, blew past him down the lane and fought off a late rally from the favorite Mr. Salvatore Fra to take the sixth race of the night in 1:54.1. Mr. Salvatore Fra finished a length behind in second and Rock N Roll Heaven was third.
 
Foreign Officer was the top priced pacing colt from all sales last year at $200,000 and is owned by Brittany Farms of Versailles, Ky., John Fodera of Staten Island, N.Y. and John Fielding and Melvin Hartmann both of Ontario, Canada. The son of Western Ideal-Allamerican Coco is trained by Erv Miller.
 
In the first division of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for pacing colts, Blue Rock ($2.60) and driver Sears got up by a neck to take the fourth race of the night in 1:55.4. Detail Man was behind in second and Break Dancer third. The son of Rocknroll Hanover and Lady-Indigo was a $47,000 yearling purchase at the Lexington Selected Sale by Burke Racing Stable, Randy Ringer, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
 
In the third division of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for pacing colts, Rockin Image ($4.80) and driver John Campbell wore down the pacesetter Gota Go Bullville for a neck victory in 1:53.2 in the seventh race of the night. It was a length back to Tobago Cays in third.  The son of Rocknroll Hanover and Kikikatie-Real Artist was purchased privately by Lothlorien on Dec. 21, 2007. (Meadowlands) 

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