by Nick Salvi, for Meadowlands Racetrack

East Rutherford, NJ — Another hazy Saturday morning session with the 2-year-olds at the Meadowlands with the temperature in the mid-80s began at 10 a.m.

Ron Pierce and Noel Daley opened the card with a pair of wins with colt trotters. The first was Way Outta Here, a Broadway Hall gelding out of I’m A Pearl, who added trotting hopples and led all the way, sprinting home under his own power in :27.2 on the end of a 1:59.2 mile. Sharlene Vanderkemp owns that one.

They came right back with Severus Hanover to win race two for Adam Victor & Son Stable. This one was a $20,000 Standardbred Horse Sale purchase from the impressive first crop sire raced by the same connections, Explosive Matter, out of Sorbet Hanover. Severus cut the mile and closed his 1:58.4 mile with a :29.1 quarter.

John Campbell won with the sharp looking Muscle Hill-Girlie Tough filly Heaven’s Door in 1:57.2 for Ross Croghan. She led all the way and was under no encouragement in this test. Let It Ride, Robert Cooper, J&T Silva and Joseph Myers bought her in Harrisburg last fall.

Pacing colts lined up in the seventh and they went right at it. Well Said Stride made the early lead then released Journey Man past the :57.3 half. That colt led until mid-stretch where first Shadios then I’m All Heart wrestled the lead away to win in 1:54.3/:28.2. Ray Schnittker drove, trains and owns the Bettor’s Delight-Sealed In My Heart gelding in partnership with Creative Racing Stable.

More than $1 million was spent on the eight pacing colts that faced the gate in race eight. That’s My Opinion set slow fractions with So Surreal stalking him from the start. After a restrained 1:28 three panels, Schnittker tipped So Surreal, a Somebeachsomewhere-Must See half-brother to Well Said, and he went by willingly into a :27 last quarter. He was an impressive winner in 1:55.4 on June 1 and looked just as good in his return today. Schnittker owns the colt with Ted Gewertz, Steve Arnold and Jonathan Kurnit.

Pacing fillies came next and Easter Surprise scored a come from behind 1:55.3 win with Corey Callahan driving for Chuck Sylvester. The Allamerican Native filly oiut of Ultimate Test is owned by the trainer with John Tronco and Pinstripe Stable.

Gordjus closed out the babies with a geared down 1:58.2 off the pace win for Simon Allard. Robbie Siegelman trains the Dragon Again- Matinee homebred for Barry Rubenstein Farms, LLC.

The charts and video replays can be accessed at the Meadowlands website.