by Paul Ramlow, USTA Internet News Manager

Columbus, OH — The first leg of the Jersey Girls Series for pacing fillies and mares was contested at Meadowlands Racetrack on Thursday night (April 1) with a pair of $20,000 divisions.

Lisa photo

LR Dancing Dream won the first division of the Jersey Girls in 1:51.3.

In the opener, KDM Stables’ LR Dancing Dream took over the lead heading to the three-quarter pole and went on to a lifetime best 1:51.3 victory for driver Brian Sears and trainer Lou Pena. Idol finished second, 1-3/4 lengths behind the winner, with Dream’s Bar finishing third.

The victory was the third in 12 season’s starts for the Ft Apache Hanover-Speeding Bunny miss who lifted her 2010 earnings to $44,100.

In the second division, Let It Ride Stables, Robert Cooper Stables and Jerry Silva’s Laughandbehappy also hit the wire first in a personal best 1:51.3. The 4-5 choice of the public, driven by John Campbell for trainer Tony Alagna, paced her final quarter in :27 to finish 1-3/4 lengths ahead of Mid-western Jatelo. Harper Lee grabbed the show dough.

Laughandbehappy, who earlier this year captured the Night Styles and White Ruffles finals, had her picture taken for the fifth time in seven 2010 starts. The 4-year-old Badlands Hanover-Zinful mare has banked $84,280 this year.