The Junior Trendsetter Series for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings kicked off with four $12,500 divisions on Thursday night at the Meadowlands, with the fastest split going to Be Bad Bill in 1:54.4 for the team of driver Cat Manzi and trainer Joe Hundertpfund Jr. The son of Badlands Hanover recorded his third win in five career starts.
Now I’m A Believer lit up the tote board at 37-1 in the fourth-race division. Trained by Jim Scholz, the son of Cambest scored his first career win in 1:56.1, in rein to Andy Miller.
A driver switch to Yannick Gingras paid off for trainer Eddie Sager and Prime Minister in the fifth-race division. The Three Wizzards colt took a mark of 1:56 in his third career win. His two previous wins came on the half-mile oval at Freehold.
Rounding out the Junior Trendsetter action, Genetic Miracle took the eighth-race division in 1:56.2 for trainer Mark Kesmodel and driver Ron Pierce.
The Junior Trendsetter Series continues next Thursday, Feb. 15. The top 10 money earners in the preliminary legs of the series advance to an estimated $90,000 final on Feb. 24. (Meadowlands)