by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Former world champion Perfect Alliance, who was victorious in her first 11 races this year before suffering back-to-back setbacks, will try to get another win streak started when she faces five foes in Friday’s (July 18) $20,000 first round of the Ima Lula Series for 4-year-old female trotters at Meadowlands Racetrack.

Perfect Alliance finished seventh in the third round of the Miss Versatility Series on July 12 at the Meadowlands. The race was won by Bee A Magician in a world-record 1:51.1, with Perfect Alliance 4-1/4 lengths back. Afterward, Perfect Alliance was found to have bled, in addition to scoping sick, and will compete with Lasix on Friday.

In her previous start on June 14, Perfect Alliance finished second to Classic Martine in the Armbro Flight Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario.

New Image Media photo

Perfect Alliance equaled the then-fastest mile ever by a 4-year-old female trotter when she won a division of the Miss Versatility on May 19 in 1:51.2 at Woodbine Racetrack.

Perfect Alliance starts Friday’s Ima Lula from post six, with Corey Callahan driving for trainer Julie Miller, and is the 8-5 morning line favorite. The remainder of the field is Ma Chere Hall, Mistery Woman, Handover Belle, Rockin With Dewey, and NF Happenstance.

“I was pretty surprised because she had a layoff and trained good during the week,” Miller said about Perfect Alliance’s performance last week. “This time of year, we do have a little bit of sickness in the barn with the young horses. She still went in (1):52 with a last quarter in :27, it’s still an impressive mile, but I didn’t like how she did it.

“After scoping her and pulling the bloodwork, we elected to put her on Lasix and treat her for being sick. She seems really good. We took the necessary steps to get her better for this week. I’m just hoping for a nice bounce-back race. I’ll let Corey decide behind the gate what he wants to do, if he wants to leave or race from behind. I just want to see her finish strong at the wire.”

Perfect Alliance — owned by Jeff Gural’s Little E LLC, Jason Settlemoir, David Stolz, and Arthur Geiger — won the Singer Memorial Series and the Bobby Weiss Series during the winter and equaled the then-fastest mile ever by a 4-year-old female trotter when she won a division of the Miss Versatility in 1:51.2 at Woodbine Racetrack. She also set a track record at Mohawk, winning in 1:51.4.

“You always want more, and we’re the same way,” Miller said. “She started luckily in good spots (earlier in the year) where she seemed to be the prohibitive favorite all the time, to where she did prove herself in those races in Canada.

“You’re going to have a clunker every now and then. They’re living animals; they’re going to have an off day. You just need to listen to your horse and let them decide their schedule. I’m still proud to train her and I’m sure the owners are still proud to own her.”

The second round of the Ima Lula is July 25 and the $55,000 estimated final is Hambletonian Day, Aug. 2, at the Meadowlands.

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Reynolds Memorial Stakes divisions for 3-year-old trotters are on Saturday’s Meadowlands card. Only four fillies entered, so that race will be a non-betting event prior to the regular 7:15 p.m. post time for the night’s first race.

One of those fillies is Julie Miller-trainee Take The Money, who is auditioning for the chance to race in the upcoming Hambletonian Oaks. Eliminations for the Oaks are July 26 and the $500,000 final is Aug. 2 at the Big M.

Curtis Salonick photo

Take The Money has won six of 10 races this year for trainer Julie Miller.

Take The Money, owned by Barry Guariglia’s Black Horse Racing, has won six of 10 races this year, primarily in Pennsylvania. She has twice finished second to top Hambletonian Oaks contender Shake It Cerry. She will be driven Saturday by Marcus Miller and faces Bikini So Teeny, Silent Opera K, and Mity’s Winner.

“She’s been a nice (Pennsylvania) Sire Stakes horse, in my opinion,” Miller said. “We’re using this race to decide whether if we’re a Hambletonian Oaks contender or not. She’s had a little bit of a layoff, but I want to see a nice race, finishing with trot. With a four-horse field, it’s usually just a race home. That’s what I want to do.

“If Marcus hops off the bike and says ‘She was vicious, she was super,’ then you go in the Oaks. If he says she didn’t seem strong, then we have to have a discussion. She trained really good. I know by program she seems to be the best, but that’s why they still race. I’m just hoping for a strong race.”

On the boys’ side, there are two 11-horse divisions worth $32,207 each.

Jimmy Taker-trained Nuncio, who has won four of six races this year and twice finished second to nemesis, and stablemate, Father Patrick, is part of the 3-5 favored entry with Amped Up Hanover in the first division. Nuncio and Amped Up Hanover are eligible to the $1.2 million Hambletonian on Aug. 2.

The rest of the field is Uva Hanover, Another Deposition, Sarcastic Man, Southwind Poseidon, Revrac Harbour, Resolve, Home Front, Dony Andreas, and Montalbano Bi. All are eligible to the Hambletonian except Another Deposition, Dony Andreas, and Montalbano Bi.

Takter’s Trixton is the 3-5 choice in the second division. The split also includes Mister B’s Way, Skates N Plates, Another Transcript, Truxton, Well Built, Speak The Truth, Scacco Matto, Lightning Force, Muscle Midas, and Datsyuk. All are eligible to the Hambletonian.

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The Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for 2-year-old female trotters on Friday visits Harrah’s Philadelphia, where several horses with famous siblings will go behind the gate.

Kolachke (Donato Hanover-La Riviera Lindy) is a half-sister to 2012 Horse of the Year Chapter Seven and Sistas (Andover Hall-Honorable Mother) is a half-sister to Honorable Daughter, the 2008 Dan Patch Award winner for best 2-year-old female trotter.

Inch By Inch (Yankee Glide-Armbro Niagara) is a full sister to millionaire Falls For You, Lilu Hanover (Andover Hall-Lady Luck Hanover) is a full sister to stakes-winner Luckycharm Hanover, and Gatka Hanover (Muscle Massive-Girlie Tough) is a three-quarter-sister to 2014 New Jersey Sire Stakes champion Heaven’s Door.