from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Pampered Princess ($2.40, $2.10, $2.10) posted her tenth victory of the year in the first of three $20,000 eliminations on Friday night (Nov. 24) and earned a spot in the $410,000 Goldsmith Maid Final at the Meadowlands.

The Goldsmith Maid for trotting fillies is one of a quartet of stakes finals — the $1.7 million Four Final Four for 2-year-olds — on December 2. The first three finishers from each of the three eliminations along with the fastest fourth place filly advanced to the final.

The nearly flawless 2-year-old daughter of Andover Hall, making her Meadowlands debut in the second race, trotted the mile in 1:56.4 with trainer Jimmy Takter driving. The likely divisional champion, she races in the names of Bob Anderson of St. Thomas, Ontario and David Anderson of Hillsburgh, Ontario. A $240,000 yearling purchase, she has earned $626,244 thus far.

The only blemish among the 11 career starts by Pampered Princess was a second place finish in her last outing, the $600,000 Breeders Crown on October 28 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.

“She was good (tonight),” Takter said after the race. “I didn’t know what type of trip I would get. I thought I would play it by ear and see who left out of the gate. There were a lot of horses leaving from the inside. She got away good and got a good trip.”

It was 2-1/4 lengths back to Flash Lightning ($3.20, $2.10), who cut most of the mile and finished second, and another 3-1/2 to Constance Hall ($2.10) in third.

Gerri’s Joy ($10.00, $4.00, $2.80), who won the $537,000 Merrie Annabelle on August 3 at the Meadowlands, popped off the pylons in mid-stretch and drew away to a one length victory over Falls For You ($4.00, $3.00) in the second Goldsmith Maid elimination, the third race. David Miller was in the sulky as the Noel Daley-trainee trotted a lifetime best of 1:56.2. Michelle’s Angel ($2.20) was third by three lengths.

Gerri’s Joy is a daughter of Enjoy Lavec and is owned by her breeder, Nicholas Cimino of Pompano Beach, Florida. She now has three wins and one third in seven starts with earnings of $291,723.

In the final elim, the fifth race, the Tatker stable returned to the winner’s circle with Celebrity Speedie ($6.60, $3.60, $2.40), who finished a neck ahead of Right On Renee ($6.40, $2.80) in 1:57.4. Undercover Lover ($2.20), who broke stride but survived an inquiry, was 5-1/2 lengths back in third.

Celebrity Speedie, driven by Ron Pierce, picked up her third win with three seconds and two thirds from 16 starts, and lifted her earnings to $92,588. The daughter of Malabar Man is owned by Christina Takter, Celebrity Farms, John Fielding, and Mal and Janet Burroughs.

The fastest fourth place finisher, with a time of 1:57.1, was Madam Volo out of the third race, second elimination. She gained fourth when Adelaide Hall was placed back for a lapped on break at the wire.

Winners of the three eliminations had their choice of post in the final. In order of selection, Gerri’s Joy will leave from post three, Celebrity Speedie from post one and Pampered Princess from post two.