by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

East Rutherford, NJ — Jerseylicious (Corey Callahan) won the $268,300 Sweetheart Stake for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday at the Meadowlands Racetrack, wearing down Nikki Beach (Brian Sears) in deep stretch for the win in 1:52.1 for her maiden victory.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Jerseylicious won the Sweetheart Stake for 2-year-old pacing fillies in 1:52.1 for driver Corey Callahan on Saturday at Meadowlands.

Legacy Racing of Delaware and Pamela Curran own the daughter of Western Ideal-Jet Lag N. Wayne Givens trains.

UF Dragon’s Queen (Andy Miller) was first to the lead at the :26.4 opening quarter, but John Campbell was on the move with Odds On Alpha to get the lead at the three-eighths mile marker. Those two held that lead to the :54.2 half, but Sears had Nikki Beach on the move as they hit that marker and she cleared to the lead.

At the 1:23.2 three-quarters, Nikki Beach was neck and neck with Odds On Alpha going through the final turn, but Jerseylicious was pacing off cover to challenge Nikki Beach for the lead.

Those two paced together down the lane until the final stride, where Jerseylicious poked a nose in front just before the wire.

“I was a little worried in the first turn, she got a little rough on me but I got her gathered up,” said Callahan. “Brian’s the one I wanted to follow all along so it worked out great. She’s got terrific manners, easy to drive and it (the late scratch of #10 Shebestingin) didn’t bother her at all.”