from Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – July 20, 2005 – Killer Whale [$20,80, $5.00, $3.80] avoided breakers and rallied for a three-quarter-length victory in the $175,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, the fifth race on Wednesday night at the Meadowlands.

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Killer Whale trotted the mile in 1:57.2, defeating Global Glide and Keystone Savage in the $175,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.

Killer Whale trotted the mile in 1:57.2, posting his first win in three career starts.

Global Glide [$4.20, $2.80] was second, and it was three and a half-lengths to Keystone Savage [$5.60] in third.

“I didn’t know much about the horse,” said winning driver John Campbell. “He’s very professional for a two-year-old. He got a great trip. I was very impressed with him.”

Killer Whale, a son of Malabar Man – Sea Flirt, races for Kent P. Gustavsson of Nora, Sweden and Emma M. Johansson of Allentown, New Jersey. Tommy B. Andersson, Killer Whale’s trainer, had a good view of the race as he was driving Quantum King Leo, who broke stride at the start.

“It was a nice trip as always with John Campbell driving,” Andersson said. “I told John before the race that this horse had a good chance and was a very strong horse. He needed some races to pick up his speed. His speed will come with more races. He’s starting to learn. My horse made a break at the starting gate so I saw it from behind.”

Two-year-old pacing fillies were on display in a pair of $67,950 divisions of the Countess Adios, carded as the third and sixth races.

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July Hot Mindale got up to win by a length over Darlin’s Delight in the 1st division of the Countess Adios for 2-year-old pacing fillies.

In the first division, July Hot Mindale [$21.40, $8.00, $5.00] avoided 3-5 Mattios, who broke on the backstretch, and get up to win by a length over Darlin’s Delight [$7.60, $5.60]. She’s Game [$4.20] was third by two lengths.

July Hot Mindale, a daughter of Jenna’s Beach Boy, paced the mile in a lifetime best of 1:53.4 to post her fourth win in five starts this year.

“She raced well tonight,” said Brian Sears, who drove the Mickey Burke trainee. “I was fortunate not to get tangled up. I didn’t have to check this filly due to the breaking horses. She responded with a real nice last quarter [27.1].”

“She’s a real nice filly,” Burke noted. “She needed some help from the breaking horses. But he paced her back out, and she finished in 54 flat. What else can you say; she went a big mile.”

The filly races for Sylvia Burke of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania and Joann Koechlin of Bluffton, South Carolina.

Xhilaration [$14.80, $4.00, $2.60] nipped Taxi Hanover [$2.60, $2.20] at the wire to win by a head in the second division in 1:53.2. Evening Forecast [$3.00] was third by four and a quarter lengths.

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Xhilaration (2) nipped Taxi Hanover at the wire to win by a head in the second division in 1:53.2.

“This was my first time driving her,” said John Campbell, who guided the Western Hanover filly to her second win in four starts. “She came up big down the stretch when I needed her most.”

“John Campbell gave us the winning drive,” said Kathleen LaMontagne of Bordentown, New Jersey, the owner-trainer and breeder. “She was struggling a bit getting to the top. When she did, she settled a bit and when Taxi Hanover pulled ahead, it was perfect for us to follow. We were blessed to get the mare and every one of her babies is God sent.”

LaMontagne and her husband, Donald, own the broodmare, Motivation whose five offspring have all made money: Good Vibrations [$67,180], Figure The Odds [$247,641], Rambunctious [$20,331], Unspoken [$87,752] and Xhilaration, who earnings grew to $48,804 with the victory, her second in four starts.