by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — El Diablo BR is getting thrown into the fire.

A Norwegian-born son of Muscle Hill, El Diablo BR makes only his fourth career start Friday (May 15) when he faces six rivals in the second of two New Jersey Sire Stakes divisions for 3-year-old male trotters at the Meadowlands Racetrack. The field consists entirely of Hambletonian Stakes-eligible horses and includes stakes-winners Muscle Diamond and French Laundry.

“That’s like the Hambletonian right from the get-go,” trainer Trond Smedshammer said. “I would have rather not found out this way what I’ve got, but that’s the way it is with the New Jersey Sire Stakes.

“He showed some ability trotting in (1):55 and a piece as a 2-year-old and now in (1):54.4 this year. I know he’s going to trot in (1):52, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s good enough for the bigger stakes here. You see people qualifying in (1):52.”

El Diablo BR was bred by Norway’s Bjorn Rishaug and is out of the stakes-winning mare Fiery Chip.

USTA/Ken Weingartner photo

Norwegian-born El Diablo BR will make his next start in Friday’s New Jersey Sire Stakes at the Meadowlands.

Last year, the colt was limited to two starts because of sickness and soreness. He finished fifth in his debut, a preliminary division of the Kindergarten Series in which Habitat defeated The Bank by a neck, and was timed in 1:55.4. He then went off stride in a division of the New Jersey Sire Stakes Green Acres Series at Freehold and Smedshammer decided to turn out the colt for the rest of the year.

El Diablo BR came back this season and began his campaign with a second-place finish from post nine in a conditioned race at the Meadowlands. The race was won by Soboro Hanover, who also is eligible to the Hambletonian.

In addition to the Hambletonian, El Diablo BR’s stakes schedule includes the Goodtimes Stakes in June and Canadian Trotting Classic in September.

“He trained good all winter,” Smedshammer said. “He’s been a little bit of a bully at the Meadowlands. He comes on the track and he wants to be a tough guy and kick and stuff like that. Hopefully by racing every week he’ll settle down and learn. He’s going to be going a few weeks in a row now and if he’s any good he’s got the Goodtimes right after. He’ll get plenty of races in the next five weeks, that’s for sure.

“He’s also got stakes back there (in Norway). The Norwegian stakes competition level is like night and day compared to here. If he’s not good enough here, he’ll go back there.”

El Diablo BR will leave from post four with driver Tim Tetrick in his New Jersey Sire Stakes division. He is 6-1 on the morning line. Muscle Diamond, who finished second in last year’s Breeders Crown, is the 6-5 favorite followed by French Laundry at 2-1.

The eight-horse first division — also consisting entirely of Hambletonian-eligible trotters — is led by last year’s New Jersey Sire Stakes champion, Guess Whos Back. The Nik Drennan-trained colt is making his seasonal debut and is the 6-5 morning line favorite. Canepa Hanover is the 2-1 second choice.

Also debuting Friday is Mission Brief, who is the 3-5 morning line favorite in the first round of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 3-year-old female trotters.