by Leon Zimmerman, for the New Jersey Sire Stakes

Trenton, NJ — After distributing almost $500,000 in purses to 3-year-old pacers already this month, the New Jersey Sire Stakes 2009 season for 3-year-old trotters will open Monday (May 25) at The Meadowlands with another $224,000 in purses.

The afternoon racing program will include three $38,400 divisions of the first preliminary leg of the Meadowlands series for 3-year-old trotting fillies and two divisions for colts and geldings with purses of $55,000 and $54,000 each.

Featured in the filly competition will be the NJSS 2-year-old trotting filly of 2008, I Wanted Wings, a daughter of the Hall of Fame stallion Muscles Yankee.

I Wanted Wings, winner of the NJSS Championship Final for 2-year-old trotting fillies at The Meadowlands last year, is trained by Ross Croghan for the Let It Ride Stable, Robert Cooper Stable and Jerry Silva. Ron Pierce will drive her from post six in a field of nine. The filly earned $339,362 last year and was fourth in the Breeders Crown final.

Among the NJ-sired sophomore trotting colts and geldings will be The Chancellor, a son of Yankee Glide trained by Julie Miller for the Andy Miller Stable and Arden Homestead Stable. He drew post nine in his 10-horse division.

A late starter at two, the colt won the NJSS Championship Final at Freehold Raceway and finished second in two NJSS preliminary legs in his only three starts of the year.