Hightstown, NJ – Braxten Boyd, who has already set a career high for purses this season and is approaching his best for wins, will look to remain on a roll when he drives in three of the four New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund finals for 2-year-old trotters and pacers Saturday (Nov. 22) at the Meadowlands.
Boyd will sit behind trotting colt American Power (5-2 on the morning line) for trainer Marcus Melander and pacing filly Wave Dancer (9-2) for Linda Toscano in two of the night’s three $60,000 NJSDF finals. He also will drive Everlast Sting Deo for Travis Alexander in the $48,000 final for male pacers that will go as a non-wagering event prior to the 14-race pari-mutuel card.
American Power, a son of Walner-Ariana G, has been paired with Boyd on one previous occasion, which resulted in a 1:55 victory in the first leg of the NJSDF on Nov. 7. For the year, American Power has hit the board in seven of 11 races, with three wins and $64,060 in earnings. His three victories have come in his past five starts and include a 1:53.1 triumph in a division of the Grade 3 International Stallion Stakes on Oct. 3 at the Red Mile.
The colt, who finished seventh in the Valley Victory Stakes (G1) last week, has a mark of 1:53 – just outside the season’s Top 10 for a 2-year-old male trotter – he set in winning a conditioned race at the Red Mile on Sept. 25. He will leave from post three Saturday.
“He’s an extremely powerful horse,” Boyd said. “He should have a big shot in there. He stepped up in class against some better ones last week, but I think he’s back in where he fits very well. He raced super against this group last time, so hopefully we can get another performance like that.
“The first time I drove him, I learned some of his quirks. He needs to stay a little calmer early in the post parade, so I’ll be more prepared. Hopefully, we can have some success again.”
Lindy Living, who won last week’s second leg of the NJSDF in 1:54.4 for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Domenico Cecere, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the male trot final.
In the final for filly pacers, Wave Dancer is the third choice behind two-time NJSDF leg winner Whoa Black Betty (5-2, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke) and Car Keys (3-1, Dexter Dunn, Chris Ryder).
Boyd has driven Wave Dancer in her past four races, picking up her maiden-breaking win in a Kindergarten division on Oct. 24 before finishing a strong-closing fourth from post nine in the Kindergarten final (G3) a week later. The daughter of Perfect Sting-Making Waves was sixth in the first leg of the NJSDF and second, beaten by a neck, in the second.
“We had some success the first time I drove her,” Boyd said. “Linda said she had been working on her and that she thought she would be better, and she was much better. She’s kind of continuously been getting better every week. She raced super last week. Hopefully, I can give her a good trip and pounce at the right time.”
In the pre-card final for male pacers, Boyd will aim for his third win with Everlast Sting Deo. The two captured the Home Grown Pace and Renaissance final in August at the Meadowlands. After Everlast Sting Deo made Grand Circuit starts at Tioga Downs and Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, the son of Perfect Sting-Little Miss K was reunited with Boyd for the NJSDF and posted a third and a second in the preliminary rounds.
“He’s had a lot of success in those races at the Meadowlands during the summer, and I’ve been lucky enough to drive him at the Meadowlands for many of his races,” Boyd said. “He raced super the other day. Hopefully, he can give us an even better performance.”
So far this season, the 25-year-old Boyd has driven horses to $4.76 million in purses and won 316 races – only 21 shy of his career high. During the summer, he notched graded stakes victories in the Meadowlands Pace and Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial.
“It’s definitely the best year of my career so far,” said Boyd, who ranks 19th in wins and 23rd in purses among drivers in North America. “I’ve been very blessed to drive some good horses, and good horses make your job a lot easier. You don’t know really when (these opportunities) are going to come around again, so when they come up, you’ve got to try to make the most of them. I’m very thankful.”
The non-betting NJSDF race is scheduled for 6 p.m. (EST) at the Meadowlands, followed at 6:20 p.m. by the main card. Custom, a daughter of Walner-Goldy Mary FR, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for driver Johnathan Ahle and trainer Per Engblom in the NJSDF final for trotting fillies, which is race three. The male trotters will go in race five and the pacing fillies in race nine.
For free past performances, visit the Big M website here.