STANDARDBRED BREEDERS & OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY

Representing the drivers, trainers, caretakers, breeders and owners of New Jersey

64 Business Route 33

Manalapan, NJ 07726

Phone: 732-462-2357

Fax: 732-409-0741

STANDARDBRED BREEDERS & OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY

Representing the drivers, trainers, caretakers, breeders and owners of New Jersey

64 Business Route 33, Manalapan, NJ 07726 

Phone: 732-462-2357 | Fax: 732-409-0741

BACK

MARYLAND, ASCENDANCE SCORE IN BIG M’S KINDERGARTEN

Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations • June 29, 2024

Maryland and Ascendance were two of the more impressive-looking -- and high-priced -- winners as the Kindergarten Series for 2-year-olds of each sex and gait kicked off Friday night with six $20,000 divisions of the opening leg at The Meadowlands as every horse in the event made their respective parimutuel debuts ...

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- June 28, 2024 -- Maryland and Ascendance were two of the more impressive-looking -- and high-priced -- winners as the Kindergarten Series for 2-year-olds of each sex and gait kicked off Friday night with six $20,000 divisions of the opening leg at The Meadowlands as every horse in the event made their respective parimutuel debuts.


The Marcus Melander-trained Maryland (a colt by Chapter Seven-Crucial) took the second of two colt and gelding trots in 1:56.4 with Dexter Dunn at the controls. The $475,000 Lexington Select Sale purchase made the lead at the quarter while parked in :30 and never relinquished the point through fractions of 1:00.2 and 1:30.2 on the way to a head win over a late-closing Mr Walner Fashion.


“He’s done everything right from the start and has been great training down,” said Melander. “Tonight, he dug in like a good horse the last eighth when [trainer Jim] Campbell’s horse [Mr Walner Fashion] came up on the outside. I couldn’t be happier with him in his first start.”


As the 3-5 favorite, Maryland paid $3.40 to win.


Hall of Fame trainer Linda Toscano looks like she has a good one in Ascendance, who overcame post seven to win with Scott Zeron driving in 1:53 as the even-money public choice, paying $4.20 to win in the lone filly pace.


“She had pedigree (a daughter of Captaintreacherous-Higher And Higher) and size. [My owners] stepped up for me,” said Toscano of the $260,000 Lexington purchase. “She showed last week she’s as good off a helmet (when fourth in her second baby race, closing in :26.1) as on the lead. “I don’t know if she was running in in the stretch, but I do think she’s really green. It’s just so new to all of them.”


Ascendance grabbed the lead at the half in :57.4 and remained on top at three-quarters in 1:26.3 before an easy jaunt through the stretch led to a 1½-length win over Shes A Streaker.


FOUR MORE: The other Kindergarten winners included Margareta Hanover (Maharajah-Hot Mess Hanover) in 1:56.1 in the lone filly trot before the betting card began, giving the team of Dunn and Melander their first of two winners on the night.


The first colt and gelding trot went to 4-5 favorite ($3.80) Hidalgo, a son of Muscle Hill-Brooklyn, for Yannick Gingras and Ron Burke in 1:56.2 while the two colt and gelding paces were taken by Papis Pistol (Papi Rob Hanover-Bang Bang), the 7-2 second choice who returned $9.20, for Brett Beckwith and Sam De Pinto in 1:53.3; and 3-2 second choice ($5.00) Namaste Hanover (Papi Rob Hanover-Naughty Marietta) for Jordan Stratton and Christopher Choate in 1:54.3.


THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT: The Early 20-cent Pick-5, which saw four winning favorites score at even-money or less, returned a mere $36.14, while the Late P5, which included 9-1, 15-1 and 14-1 shots, returned a whopping $5,488.16.


A LITTLE MORE: Brett Beckwith, 21, currently the second-leading dash-winning driver in North America, the red-hot Yogi Sheridan, Dunn and Dave Miller tied atop the driver-colony leaderboard with two winners each on the card. … All-source handle on the 14-race program totaled $2,532,714. … Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m.

By Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager June 19, 2025
Noel Daley sent out five winners and Nik Drennan had three as Magical Acres held its first of two sessions of qualifiers for 2-year-olds Thursday morning ...
By Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager June 18, 2025
Ugottabkidnme represents the entirety of breeder/owner Kevin Kelly’s racing stable, so needless to say, there was a good deal of anticipation ahead of the 2-year-old male trotter’s qualifying debut Wednesday at Gaitway Farm ...
By Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager June 18, 2025
Pepsi North America Cup winner Louprint received 26 first-place votes and a total of 340 points to rank No. 1 in the year’s first Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll released Wednesday (June 18) ...
By Courtney Stafford June 17, 2025
The SBOANJ's 29th Annual Golf Outing's schedule of events ...
By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations June 15, 2025
It was bombs away early on Saturday night at The Meadowlands as 10-1, 70-1 and 19-1 shots lit up the board for the first three races, which served as the catalyst for no winning tickets on the 20-cent Pick-5 ...
By mcarter June 15, 2025
The Roll With Joe mare Twin B Joe Fresh cruised to command with a mid-race move and easily maintained her throne atop the aged pacing mare division to score her second straight victory in the C$287,000 Roses Are Red, a Grade 1 stake, on Saturday night (June 14) at Woodbine Mohawk Park ...
More Posts