East Rutherford, NJ — Lindysmusclemania threw his hat into the ring as a major Hambletonian player Friday night (May 14) at The Meadowlands, taking one of three $25,000 divisions of the first leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings in a sparkling 1:51.4.

Lindysmusclemania and driver Dexter Dunn were clear of the field in a division of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings on the trot. Lisa photo.

The Ake Svanstedt trainee, a son of Muscle Hill-Possessed By Lindy, displayed a big brush to assume command at the half, then rated the third fraction in :28.2 before trotting a final quarter in :26.4 to lower his previous lifetime best by one and three-fifth seconds, set two weeks ago in a blowout qualifier. Really Fast was 2-3/4 lengths back in second with Bee Forever third.

“There was a lot of hype about him after his qualifier,” said winning driver Dexter Dunn, who sat behind the horse for the first time. “I’m obviously impressed. I settled in early and made a move down the back. It was like driving a car when I asked him to go. I then asked him to stretch out a bit in the stretch and the rest of the way was just a ride for me.”

Lindysmusclemania returned $3.00 as the 1-2 favorite.

In the first division for male horses, Cuatro De Julio (Trixton-Clarabelle) cleared the top at the three-eighths and powered down the road from there to score by an easy length in 1:53.1 for trainer Marie Ortolan Bar and driver Lucas Wallin as the 2-5 public choice. Mon Amour was second with Locatelli third.

Svanstedt earned a training triple — and driving double — after his Narzario pulled off a 19-1 upset in the third division for colts and geldings in 1:53. The gelded son of Trixton-Gerri’s Joy emerged from a loose pocket late to rally and finish a neck in front of a resilient Kildare King, who just missed in a bid to go wire-to-wire. After 6-5 favorite Take This Society was disqualified for interference, Cricket Fashion was placed third in the official order of finish.

With his loaded barn on display, earlier on the card Svanstedt sent out a winner in the first of two $25,000 NJSS divisions for trotting fillies as his Wet My Whistle sat a pocket to 6-5 public choice Eazy Pass before closing along the inside to record a nose win in 1:53.1 as the 5-2 second choice. Svanstedt drove the daughter of Muscle Hill-Slightly Tipsy.

The Ron Burke-trained Hot As Hill took the second division for fillies in 1:53 by a length as the 9-5 favorite. David Miller moved the Muscle Hill-Smarty Pants miss off the rail before the half and made the top on the far turn before going on to an easy score over a fast-closing Awesome Trix.

Early Birds: Prior to the wagering card, a pair of non-bettors for New Jersey Sire Stakes 3-year-olds on the pace were contested. Each had a purse of $20,000.

In the two-horse division for fillies, Anna Jeans led at every call to defeat Neverendingproject by 3-1/4 lengths. The daughter of Great Vintage-Early Go Hanover, who is trained by John Urbanski and was driven by Jason Thompson, stopped the clock in 2:01.1.

Fika Time went wire-to-wire in the three-horse split for colts and geldings, hitting the wire 3-1/4 lengths in front of Neyreit. Beda Too Quik was third. A gelded son of Sunfire Blue Chip-Raiders Favorite, the Chase Vandervort trainee finished the mile in 1:53.2 with Tim Tetrick in the sulky.

A Little More: The 20-cent Pick-6 pool, fueled by a $14,686 carryover, took in total action of $65,858, and those who correctly selected all six winners walked away with $8,761.

A shrewd player betting into the Ontario hub held the only winning ticket in the 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 and cashed in for $13,368.

All-source wagering totaled $3,485,163, the 13th consecutive program to see betting exceed the $3 million mark.

Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m. The feature is the $141,250 Arthur J. Cutler for Free For All trotters.