Weekend Wealthy With State-Bred And Grand Circuit Stakes

Hambletonian-hopefuls continue their journey towards August in sires stakes and Grand Circuit action as colts and fillies compete in the first round of the New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) at the Meadowlands on Friday, May 20, as well as in splits of the Currier & Ives at The Meadows on Saturday, May 21. Vernon Downs will also host two divisions of the New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) on Saturday, May 21 for the colts.

The first of two NJSS splits features the return of Breeders Crown champion All The Time. She’ll go against a field composed mostly of “Oaks” hopefuls, with Hillosophical being the only one not eligible. With her credentials, All The Time should be the presumptive public choice but could be vulnerable in her first start back. Possibly providing value as they improve with each mile, Jinx and Batoutahill could capitalize on All The Time coming up short.

Only three hopefuls compete in the second division: Wildflower, Glad All Over, and Southwind Hope. Wildflower should be the best price of the three, entering off of two qualifiers that show she has improved since last season.

Southwind Frank, the Hambo winter-book favorite, makes his seasonal debut in the lone NJSS split for the colts. Brooklyn Hill is the obvious second choice to the champion trotter but Ake Svanstedt sends out Double L Lindy, a sharp Muscles Yankee colt that has developed rapidly in four starts. Asking him to beat Southwind Frank is a tall order but this colt could be better than his performances show.

Fillies go in two divisions of the $70,500 Currier & Ives at The Meadows, with six Oaks hopefuls among the entrants.

Kathy Parker headlines the first division, along with the other Oaks hopeful, Encore Gold. However, the best price here should come from Twill Be Done, as she returns to The Meadows, where she traveled a tough mile in the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS

Division two contains four Oaks hopefuls: Lookin Sharp, My Pink Bike, Black Broadway and Sunset Glider. My Pink Bike raced well against this bunch when tested in the PASS and will be a great price since she’s paired against Jimmy Takter-trainee Sunset Glider.

Hititoutofthepark tops three other Hambo hopefuls in the first division of the $116,304 Currier & Ives colt trot. The other hopefuls being Steed, Iron Mine Bucky and Desert Runner, the best value should be in Iron Mine Bucky. Sharp on the PASS circuit last year, he has qualified well coming into this race.

Split two attracts three Hambo hopefuls: Hollywood Highway, Leggs Matter, and Breedlove. But, value in this event lies outside of the hopeful trio, since Landjack Hanover seems to be bettering in form with every mile, most notably two starts ago when he closed to finish fourth against Mikkeli Hanover.

The $122,300 NYSS at Vernon Downs goes in two divisions but only the latter of them contains eligible colts. On the far outside, Chukkar enters off a strong effort at Yonkers Raceway. He has demonstrated his ability to leave the gate, which is vital considering his post draw.

The racing of classic divisions—soph-colt-and-filly trotters—on their quest to the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks finals continues its exclusive, extended coverage from TwinSpires and the Hambletonian Society. Recaps of races covered in this blog can be found at the archive section of the web’s home for the Hambletonian Society.