NJ sophomores dominate speed ratings

New Jersey-sired trotters, led by Il Villaggio, dominate the sport’s speed ratings for 2010 by capturing five of the top seven spots on a list of the projected fastest three-year-old trotters in the nation.

According to the latest Experimental Championship ratings compiled by harness racing authority Stan Bergstein, Il Villaggio, a son of Yankee Glide, was estimated to register a 1:51 mark this year, while Lucky Chucky (Windsong’s Legacy) was rated second fastest at 1:51.1.

Other NJ-sired three-year-old trotters in the top seven are: Holiday Road (Yankee Glide), fourth with a 151.3 rating; Break The Bank K (Revenue), fifth at 1:51.4, and the filly Costa Rica (Muscles Yankee), seventh at 1:52.1.

The only trotters in the top five not sired by registered New Jersey stallions were Pilgrims Taj (Broadway Hall), in third place at 1:51.2 and the filly Poof She’s Gone (Kadabra), rated sixth at 1:52.
 
Il Villaggio, a winner in six of eight races as a two-year-old, earned $464,521.  He won the $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Championship Final at The Meadowlands and was named NJSS two-year-old colt trotter of the year.

Ratings runner-up Lucky Chucky, the national Dan Patch two-year-old colt trotter of 2009, earned $661,649 last year, including the $600,000 Breeders Crown Championship at Woodbine.  He won nine of 12 starts and was second twice and third once.
         

Holiday Road won three of six starts and earned #312,350.  His biggest victory was in the $523,600 Peter Haughton Memorial at The Meadowlands.
         

Break The Bank K, winner of six of 14 races and $236,910, with major wins in the $105,494 Horseman Stakes and in divisions of the Harriman Cup and Champlain Stakes.
         

Costa Rica, overall NJSS Horse of the Year and two-year-old trotting filly of 2009, earned $970,161.  She won 10 of 16 races, with four seconds and a third.  In addition to sweeping both NJSS Championship Finals at The Meadowlands and Freehold, Costa Rica won the $450,000 Goldsmith Maid Final, $441,750 Peaceful Way Stakes Final and $157,800 Matron Stakes Final.         
         

Other New Jersey-sireds were on the speed ratings list at 15th, 16th, 18th, and 19th: Flex TheMuscle (Muscles Yankee) with a 1:53.4 rating, Temple Of Doom (Yankee Glide) with a 1:54, Muscle Massive (Muscles Yankee) with a 1:54.2 and the Senor Glide (Yankee Glide) with a 1:54.3 rating.
         

Their ratings, designed to compare three-year-old trotters with each other and with past rated champions, are based on comparative statistics, analysis and evaluation by leading horsemen and personal observations by Bergstein. (NJSS)