Strong contingent of sophomore pacers in Big M morning action

Leading 3-year-old colt pacer Badlands Nitro led a brigade of sophomore heavyweights across the wire in a qualifier Thursday morning at the Meadowlands, as Brian Sears directed the world champion to a 1:52.3 victory, his second winning qualifying effort in as many starts this year.

Sears moved to the outside past the quarter with Badlands Nitro and followed the cover of Yankee Rocketeer and driver David Miller. He then was able to urge his charge to the lead heading toward the three-quarters. From there he paced a final quarter of :26.3 to draw clear by 2 ¾ lengths over two-time New Jersey Sire Stakes winner Yankee Rocketeer, with Battle of Freehold victor Truponder third.

Finishing fourth in the race was New York Sire Stakes champion Riggins, who rallied from ninth early on for trainer-driver Ray Schnittker to finish five lengths behind Badlands Nitro. Ontario Sire Stakes Super Final winner Deuce Seelster, the fourth richest freshman pacer last year with $639,241 in earnings, finished fifth.

Badlands Nitro, a son of Badlands Hanover, was coming off a 1:55 qualifying victory at Rosecroft on April 16. Last year he equaled Artsplace’s 1:51.1 world-record effort for a 2 year old on a five-eighths mile track when he captured his Matron elimination at Dover Downs in early November. However, making what was his last start of the year in the $266,950 final, Badlands Nitro had gate problems that quickly took him out of contention.

“In the final he had the two hole and Tony Morgan had the three hole (with First Rate). Tony’s horse jumped sideways like a bunny rabbit and clobbered him,” recently remembered trainer George Teague, who shares ownership with John Celii. “He was knocked about 20 lengths down early. He then had to have stitches in his hock where he hit him.”

Teague says he is expecting big things this year from Badlands Nitro, a colt he also recently placed in a first-place tie at the top in The Horseman’s trainer ratings story that appeared in the April 9 issue with Somebeachsomewhere and Duneside Perch.

“He is a good-looking horse and looks the part,” Teague said of Badlands Nitro. “I just think he will be as good as anything that comes out this year. He looks like a Grand Circuit horse. He has the appearance, he’s extremely fast, and he has all the tools to make it.”

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