APEX ON TOP, EMMAS MYSTERY CCL UPSETS IN NEW JERSEY SIRE STAKES

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- August 2, 2025 -- Royally bred Apex notched a hard-fought win as the second betting choice while Emmas Mystery CCL ripped to victory at long odds in their respective $225,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes finals, for trotting 2-year-olds, on Saturday (Aug. 2) at The Meadowlands.

Apex seized the lead late and kept his head in front to the finish of a 1:53.2 mile to win the New Jersey Sire Stakes Final for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings.

Driver Dexter Dunn landed in fourth out of post 2, directly behind 3-5 favorite Diabolic Hill, and bided his time as Ardonne cleared the front in a :28 first quarter. Pocket-sitter Maga Hill soon tipped outside to challenge and then took over the lead before a :56.4 half, all while Dunn pressured Diabolic Hill to flush outside moving for the final turn.

Diabolic Hill obliged out of third and lunged uncovered to blitz Maga Hill to three-quarters in 1:25 with Apex in tow on the turn for home. Dunn fanned off cover in the stretch and overhauled Diabolic Hill in mid-stretch but had more competition coming with Ardonne zipping off a ground-saving trip and after the leader late. Apex reached for the finish and staved off Ardonne by a head while Diabolic Hill settled for third and Kingman took fourth.

Apex, a colt by Walner out of the world champion trotting mare and 2015 Hambletonian runner-up Mission Brief, scored his second win from three starts and did so in a lifetime-best time.

“We’ve spent about $2 million on Mission Brief’s offspring so far – and this is the third, fourth one we’ve got – and he definitely showed right away that he was the best one,” trainer Marcus Melander said. “He had such a bound in his gait and was training down great, but you never really know until you start racing them.”

Jeff Snyder, S R F Stable and Steve Stewart share ownership on Apex, who has now banked $131,250 in his career. He paid $5.40 to win.

Emmas Mystery CCL uncorked a 15-1 upset when tripping out to a 1:53.2 victory in the New Jersey Sire Stakes final for 2-year-old trotting fillies.

Driver Andy McCarthy floated out of post 9 with Emmas Mystery CCL to race towards the rear of the field and found cover to follow with 3-5 favorite Leading Lady caught wide through the first turn. Southwind Chaska emerged with the lead through a :27.3 first quarter but faced a challenge into the backstretch from 60-1 shot Glam. Glam grabbed the lead briefly as Southwind Chaska promptly pulled off the cones with the outer tier looming and retook the lead into a :56.2 half.

Southwind Chaska braced for further pressure from first-over Days Away into the far turn while Leading Lady perched second over and Emmas Mystery CCL coasted along third over. Days Away tired from the grind after three-quarters in 1:24.4 as the backfield lifted forward after a game Southwind Chaska in the stretch. Emmas Mystery CCL angled to the center of the track and kicked with the most momentum to tower past the bunch and slide away to a 1-1/2-length win. Sugar Packet swung wide from a ground-saving trip to take second with Southwind Chaska holding third and Lipstick closing for fourth.

“She didn’t handle the track the last start very good – it was quite deep and she just struggled to get through it,” Andy McCarthy said. “I was a lot more confident today with a bit of a tighter track, but I was just letting her tell me what to do. It just worked out where we had a good flowing trip there and she was good enough to overcome it.”

Noel Daley trains Emmas Mystery CCL, a daughter of Muscle Hill out of Mistery Woman. She won her second race from three starts, earning $128,000 for owner Winning Key Inc., and paid $33.40 to win.