The qualifying card raced at the Meadowlands on Thursday, April 8, was as deep as or deeper in talent than many pari-mutuel cards, with loads of black-type performers dropping in behind the starting gate. The card kicked off with a three-quarter length, 1:57.4 win by Mr Cantab, a 4-year-old son of Cantab Hall, trained by Erv Miller and driven by George Brennan. In the first start toward his pari-mutuel debut, Brennan sat a pocket trip until the three-quarters, and then held on for the win.
Older, richer trotters squared off in the second race with Corleone Kosmos – in his first charted line since the July 4, 2009 Titan Cup – getting the better of Buck I St Pat by three-quarters of a length in 1:57.2. John Campbell was in the bike for trainer Jeff Webster.
Seaside, winner of the Kentucky Filly Futurity last fall at The Red Mile, made amends for a March 13 miscue at Pompano Park by winning her qualifier convincingly by four lengths in 1:57.1 for trainer Jonas Czernyson and driver David Miller.
In what could be just her first qualifier of the season, Allerage winner Tug River Princess fell to fellow 5-year- old mare Southwind Swallow and driver Ron Pierce, beaten six lengths. Southwind Swallow is trained by Noel Daley and was qualifying at the Meadowlands for the second time.
In the next race, the tenth, BG’s Folly, the Junior Trendestter winner, returned to the track to win his qualifier in 1:51.3, an identical time to his February 20 series final win. Ron Pierce was in the bike for trainer George Berkner.
One of 2009’s top freshman pacers, Rock N Roll Heaven signaled that he will be a strong presence on the 2010 scene with an eased up, 1 ¼ length win in 1:54.4. With Dan Dube at the lines for trainer Bruce Saunders, Rock N Roll Heaven opened up an eight length lead in the stretch before downshifting to the win.
In what was both a replay of last year’s open pacing wars and a preview of things to come, the 13th race on the card saw divisional champ Won The West battle to a head finish in 1:53 over a hard-charging Shark Gesture and Keep It Real. Dave Miller was in the bike for trainer Ron Burke.
Share The Delight, last seen winning a Meadowlands Invitational in 1:51.1 on March 6, was back in the 14th and final race of the day, winning by 6 ½ lengths, again in 1:51.1. The 2009 New Jersey Classic winner Dial Or Nodial was second.
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