The 5-year-old French trotter Jushua Tree (Bold Eagle) is champion driver Jean-Michel Bazire’s bid for victory in the 2025 Prix d’Amérique.
Author: by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Senior Newsroom Correspondent
Top performances on Night of Champions at Hawthorne
Saturday night (Nov. 9) at Hawthorne was Night of Champions as 12 stakes finals were contested for a total of nearly $1.6 million in purses. Despite some brief afternoon showers, the skies cleared and the track was fast for the Saturday evening card.
MADC Friday night recap
With the fall upon us and the MADC series back at the Big M, four races were featured on the Friday night (Nov. 8) card, with blustery winds affecting the stretch runs later on in the card.
‘High Fashion’ the star at Big M
High Fashion Star used an aggressive steer from Braxten Boyd to win a second straight start at the Meadowlands in Friday night’s (Nov. 8) $13,000 conditioned pacing feature for fillies and mares.
Three straight for Starlitcresentroll at Batavia
When Starlitcresentroll made his first start at Batavia Downs on Oct. 18, he was claimed by Lucky Label Stable and he hasn’t lost a race since. On Friday (Nov. 8), Starlitcresentroll won his third straight for his new connections after taking the featured $9,500 trot at The Downs.
Batavia guarantees Sat. Pick-5 at $12.5k
With no one hitting the Pick-5 again at Batavia Downs on Friday (Nov. 8), there is a $6,551 carryover for that wager on Saturday (Nov. 9). Track management has announced that pool will be guaranteed at $12,500 through the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program.
MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series prelims in the books
Three winners came from a pair of $75,000 final-round divisions of the MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series on Friday (Nov. 8) at MGM Yonkers Raceway as Ari Ferrari J took the first split and then Take All Comers and Delayed Hanover dead-heated for the victory in the second flight. Both sections were held at 1-1/16 miles.
McCarthy sweeps Matron sophomore paces
Todd McCarthy captured both 3-year-old pacing divisions of the Matron Stakes, held Thursday (Nov. 7) at Bally’s Dover, teaming up with Little Brown Jug winner Captain Albano to take the $185,500 sophomore male pace and Kentucky Sire Stakes champion Direction in the $116,500 sophomore filly pace.
Legendary Hanover to Southwind Farms
Legendary Hanover, winner of the 2024 Meadowlands Pace and Cane Pace and 2023 O’Brien Award-winning 2-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year will be syndicated and stand at Southwind Farms, in Pennington, N.J., beginning in 2025.
Majorca N wires Dover distaffers
Just like two prize fighters, Majorca N and Incaseyoudidntknow have traded punches throughout the racing season. In Wednesday’s (Nov. 6) $25,000 Mares Open Pace at Bally’s Dover, Majorca N held off sustained pressure from her arch rival to earn her eighth win of the year.