by Carol Hodes for the SBOANJ

Manalapan, NJ — Dawn’s Legacy and Showherthemoney overcame steady showers and a track rated sloppy to pick up elim victories on Friday night, June 5 and earn spots in the $175,000 Thomas D’Altrui Miss New Jersey Final at the Meadowlands.

The top five fillies from each of the two $20,000 elimination divisions qualified for the Miss New Jersey which will share the spotlight with the $500,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic as well as a pair of $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Finals for 3-year-old trotters on Saturday, June 13.

The Miss New Jersey and the New Jersey Classic are sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey and are restricted to New Jersey-sired 3-year-old pacers.

Lisa Photo

Showherthemoney, driven by Brian Sears, paced the mile in 1:52.2, improving her record to three wins and two thirds in six starts.

In the first split, carded as the first race, Showherthemoney, a daughter of Cam’s Card Shark, was sent off as the 9/5 second choice.

Driver Brian Sears moved her on a second tier rally from the back of the pack, and Showherthemoney prevailed in a three-filly finish, posting a three-quarter length victory over Precious Stone [by Western Ideal] with McGibson [by McArdle] in third.

Also making the cut were Personal Ad [Artiscape] and U Foria BB [Life Sign].

Showherthemoney, driven by Brian Sears and trained by Bjorn “Bernie” Noren, paced the mile in 1:52.2, improving her record to three wins and two thirds in six starts this year and lifting her career earnings to $75,191. The filly races for Bulletproof Enterprises of Boca Raton, FL.

“She was flying home the last half,” Noren said. “She is very good when she gets a trip. She is very speedy. She had no problem with the [sloppy] track.

“Of course, I’ve got some hope to win,” he said, looking ahead to the final. “I hope I get a good post and the trip works out.”

Dawn’s Legacy, a daughter of Western Ideal, relinquished the lead before the half, benefited from a two-hole trip and fired off cover in the stretch for a length and a quarter victory over Scarlet McZara [McArdle] and Special Sweetheart [Western Ideal] in a career best 1:52.1.

Lisa Photo

Dawn’s Legacy relinquished the lead before the half, benefited from a two-hole trip and fired off cover in the stretch for a length and a quarter victory in a career best 1:52.1.

Arbeedo [Artsplace] and Perfectionist [Western Ideal] also advanced to the final.

Dawn’s Legacy, driven by George Brennan and trained by Anthony Mannino, picked up her second win in three starts this year. Lifetime, she has finished in-the-money in nine of 12 starts for a bankroll of $100,368 for owners Frederick Schwartz of Livingston NJ, Shirley Schwartz of Totowa, NJ and the Shore Thing Stables of Saddle River, NJ.

Last October she captured the $82,410 Lou Babic Final and the $40,430 New Jersey Futurity Final, both at Freehold.