by Paul Ramlow, USTA Internet News Editor

Columbus, OH — Some big names took to the racetrack on Thursday morning (May 31) in qualifying action at The Meadowlands.

2006 Dan Patch champion trotting colt Donato Hanover made his second qualifying start of the year and was a wire-to-wire winner in 1:54.1 for driver Ron Pierce. The Steve Elliott pupil cut fractions of :28, :57 and 1:26.1, then came home in :28 flat for a three-quarter length triumph over Xactly Hanover. In his initial qualifier last Thursday, the Andover Hall lad was a 1:54.3 winner.

The Enjoy Lavec sophomore Gerri’s Joy, last year’s Merrie Annabelle champion, also made her second straight qualifying start a winning one, closing in the stretch for a 1:54.4 triumph with Pierce up. She edged fellow 3-year-old filly Possess The Magic (Mike Lachance) by a half length. In her first ’07 qualifier on May 17, Gerri’s Joy crossed the finish line first in 1:56.4.

The 4-year-old pacing mare and $1.3 million winner My Little Dragon was a 1:53 victor for Brian Sears, defeating Glowing Report (David Miller) by 3-1/4 lengths. My Little Dragon, a daughter of Dragon Again, was a Dan Patch divisional champion in 2005 at 2 and was second in the balloting at 3 behind Darlin’s Delight.

2006 New Jersey Classic winner and Meadowlands Pace runner-up Feelin Friskie paced a strong 1:51.4 qualifying win for John Campbell. The 4-year-old is a son of Artiscape, and has banked $775,560 in his career.