from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — While the harness world awaits the debut of early Hambletonian favorite Muscle Hill, trainer Greg Peck appears to have another solid prospect for harness racing’s $1.5 million prize with My Back Pages.

Lisa photo

My Back Pages broke his maiden with a 1:54 effort in his NJSS race on Monday.

The son of Revenue wired the field with a sharp 1:54 effort in the first of two $54,400 New Jersey Sire Stakes divisions for 3-year-old colt trotters on Monday afternoon (May 25) at the Meadowlands. Driven by George Brennan, My Back Pages rolled through fractions of :27.3, :56.1 and 1:25.1 before pulling away to a 3-1/4 length victory over American Journey. The favorite, Manningly, held his ground for third.

My Back Pages paid $8.80 to win the afternoon’s sixth race. It was his first win in six career starts.

My Back Pages was originally a $20,000 yearling purchase at the 2007 New Jersey Classic Sale by Irving Bork. Trainer Greg Peck negotiated a 50 percent sale of the trotter to TLP Stable and Jerry Silva, which took effect May 8. My Back Pages made just two starts as freshman before ankle issues cost him the rest of the season. After a pair of second-place finishes in the Super Bowl Series in January, Peck gave the colt three months off to prepare for the lengthy stakes season ahead, which includes the $1.5 million Hambletonian on August 8.

In the second NJSS division for sophomore colts, Vesuvio AS coasted to a 3-1/2 length victory in 1:54.4 with Tim Tetrick at the lines. The Chancellor and Tad The Stud were the respective second and third-place finishers.

Another Hambletonian eligible, Vesuvio AS improved his record to three wins in nine career starts for trainer Anette Lorentzon and her family’s ACL Stuteri AB. Vesuvio AS is a son of 2004 Hambletonian winner Windsong’s Legacy, whose stud career was tragically cut short by his premature death in 2008 at age seven.

The opening round of the NJSS for 3-year-old fillies was also contested Monday afternoon with a trio of $38,400 divisions going to Seaside (1:56.4), Margarita Momma (1:55) and Gabbys Dream (1:54.1). All three fillies are eligible to the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks on August 8.

Live racing resumes Wednesday, May 27, at the Meadowlands. Post time is 7 p.m.