EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – It was a case of long and short at the Meadowlands in a pair of New Jersey Sire Stakes Finals Friday night, as Villiam scored at 85-1 in the 2-year-old colt and gelding harness racing pace while 3-5 shot Fortune Starlet dominated in the 2-year-old filly trot.
Villiam, a gelded son of Rock N Roll Heaven-Village Mirage, had plenty of action unfold in front of him as the top three horses in the wagering – 3-1 Follow Your Heart, even-money Rockin The Gates and 8-5 Rockin The Aces – all battled for supremacy from the quarter to the three-quarters, and that suited driver Tim Tetrick just fine, who had Villiam in a third-over flow around the far turn.
Rockin The Aces was dead game to the wire after racing uncovered for the final half-mile but got nailed by the smallest of noses at the finish. Follow Your Heart was third. The win payout of $172.60 was the highest of the meeting at the Big M. It was Villiam's first victory in three lifetime starts for trainer Eric Foster. The time for the mile was 1:53.1.
"I didn't think about winning at three-quarters, I just wanted to get a good check," said Tetrick. "But those other colts beat themselves up and I picked up the pieces."
Fortune Starlet ($3.20 to win), a daughter of Trixton-Fortune Dream, had no anxious moments in her dash, grabbing the lead while parked at the half before powering clear of her foes by five lengths in 1:54.3 in winning for the second time in three starts. Caviart Eva finished second but was off stride at the wire and placed fourth behind official second-place finisher Jula Champagne and Spoiled Princess, who was placed third.
"She's got a beautiful gait and a great attitude," said winning driver Dexter Dunn of the George Ducharme trainee. "She showed last week (when she won in 1:55.4) what she can do. She's still learning a little, but she's got a bright future."
Before the betting card, two other NJSS Finals were conducted.
Play Trix On Me, a son of Trixton-Lima Playmate, took the 2-year-old colt and gelding trot in 1:55.3 for driver Tetrick and trainer Gareth Dowse to stay perfect in four lifetime tries.
Ready Set Rock, a daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven-Popcorn N Peanuts, took the 2-year-old filly pace. Driver Andy McCarthy guided the winner to a 1:56.3 score for trainer Michael Hall.
A LITTLE MORE: Leading driver Yannick Gingras had the hot hand once again, scoring five times on the program, twice with Per Engblom trainees. … Chalk players cashed plenty of tickets on the card, as eight favorites visited the winner's circle. … All-source handle on the 14 races totaled $2,682,541. … Racing resumes Saturday at 7:15 p.m. with a stakes-laden 13-race card that features the $682,650 Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace.
By Dave Little
Meadowlands Media Relations