Following a third-place finish in the Metro Pace and a fourth-place effort in the Breeders Crown, Captain Optimistic put it all together with a powerful two-move mile to win the $382,200 Governor’s Cup, for 2-year-old male pacers, on Saturday (Nov. 30) at the Meadowlands.
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Melanion N, Biscoe take Batavia features in a flurry
Winter hit Batavia Downs hard on Saturday (Nov. 30) night, and a spate of scratches due to weather-related transportation issues shortened many of the fields. But the horses that did show up went dashing through the snow — including the winners of the night’s two feature races.
What A Bid Hanover clinches win in Goldsmith Maid
What A Bid Hanover stormed home mid-stretch and down the center of the track to win the $455,000 Goldsmith Maid, for 2-year-old trotting fillies, at the Meadowlands on Saturday (Nov. 30).
Twin B Joe Fresh repeats in FanDuel distaff
Chris Ryder entered the 2024 season with high expectations for Twin B Joe Fresh. After watching his 4-year-old mare close out her campaign Saturday (Nov. 30) with a win in the $150,000 FanDuel Championship for female pacers at the Meadowlands, the trainer acknowledged that harness racing’s No. 1-ranked horse had met them all.
Monserrate stalks, surges in Valley Victory
Three weeks after his runner-up finish to Breeders Crown champion Maryland in the Kindergarten Series final, Monserrate pounced late and recorded a lifetime-best 1:52.1 win in the $447,000 Valley Victory, for 2-year-old male trotters, on Saturday (Nov. 30) at the Meadowlands.
Miki And Minnie motors to equal Three Diamonds stakes record
Breeders Crown champ Miki And Minnie sat poised off tumultuous speed and thrusted forward from a helmet in the stretch to win the $338,200 Three Diamonds final, for 2-year-old pacing fillies, at the Meadowlands on Saturday night (Nov. 30).
Nelsonbriteagle NO destroys FanDuel mares in stakes record
With a strong start against five other trotters, Dexter Dunn guided Nelsonbriteagle NO to the front and wafted through four quarters atop the field to win the $150,000 FanDuel Mare Trot Championship in a stakes record 1:49.4 on a frigid Saturday night (Nov. 30) at the Meadowlands.
Illinois-bred series pops up at Hawthorne
When Illinois horsemen downloaded this weekend’s Hawthorne condition sheet many of them were pleasantly surprised when a new series for Illinois-breds of both sexes and gaits popped up.
Donato Patriot K wins Big M feature
Donato Patriot K showed some good recent form heading into the $18,000 high-end conditioned trotting feature at The Meadowlands Friday night (Nov. 29), and driver David Miller supplied a pair of red-hot hands on a five-winner night as the duo teamed up to record an easy 2-1/2 length win in 1:53 on a night that saw a real-feel temperature of 26 degrees.
USTA District 8A meeting recap
On Friday (Nov. 29), Chairperson Joe Faraldo and Directors Joe Frasure and Edison Hatter hosted the annual USTA District 8A meeting via Zoom.