Well-behaved rookies in action at Gaitway

Manalapan, NJ — Female Pacemaker Point Breeze (Sweet Lou-Lovely Laura) was the fastest two-year-old winner of the day in the harness racing qualifiers at Gaitway Farm on Thursday (June 27), stopping the clock in 1:56.3 for driver David Miller and trainer Joe Holloway.

She comes from the family of former Holloway stars She’s A Great Lady and Lady MacBeach and was purchased at the Standardbred Horse Sale for $135,000. The filly, who finished fourth last week in 1:55.1, is owned by Val D’Or Farms and L&L Devisser and was bred by Wayne Miller.

Driver Joe Bongiorno and trainer Jennifer Bongiorno combined for three wins in the eight races for the rookies, winning with the male trotters Victory Joe and Steamboat Springs and the female trotter She’s A Con.

Victory Joe (Roll with Joe-Flibbertigibbet) won in 1:57.2 a week after finishing fourth in 1:58.1. He was purchased for $25,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by Robert Weinstein. He was bred by Winbak Farm.

Steamboat Springs (Sweet Lou-Hedgie Blue Chip), from the family of millionaire Hypnotic Blue Chip, won on his debut in 1:58.1. He was purchased for $135,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by Jennifer Bongiorno Stable, Barbara Urciuoli & Frank, Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing and Scott Rau. He was bred by Vieux Carre Farms.

She is a fraud, a daughter of Cantab Hall-Jesse’s Con, who broke away from the lead last week, won in 2:02. She is owned by breeder Lee Sitto and her family includes Grand Circuit winner Phaetosive and Dan Patch Award winner Broadway Hall.

Bongiorno also rode the female pacer rider Beach Babe (Cattle washing-Backstreet Sweetie) to victory for trainer Ron Burke.

Beach Babe, qualifying for the third time, won in 1:57. She was purchased for $85,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Bill Donovan and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby. She was bred by Karen Carroll. The filly is a half-sister to millionaire Backstreet Shadow.

Driver Andy Miller and trainer Julie Miller had two wins with the 2-year-olds and won with the male trotters Century Love (love you-Century Empress) and Brulee (Walner-Biscotti).

Century Love won in his qualifying debut in 1:59.3. Purchased for $85,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, he is owned by Patrick Hoopes. He was bred by Robert Miller. His family includes Grand Circuit winners Celebrity Sweedie and Celebrity Speedie, and Jolene Jolene, dam of Dan Patch Award winner Venerable.

Brulee won his first mile in 2:01. The colt was purchased for $280,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by Andy Miller Stable, Patrick Hoopes and Plouffe Racing. He was bred by Brittany Farms and his two siblings are Grand Circuit winners Pizzelle and Espresso.

The list of winners in the two-year-old category was completed by the trotter Halfadozen, a daughter of Six-pack-Tactical Caviar, who won in 2:02.2 for rider Dan Dube and trainer Pierre Paradis. The filly was purchased for $20,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Dube and Jean Dessureault. She was bred by Sherri Meirs and W. Boyd Henderson. Her family includes Grand Circuit winners Triumphant Caviar, Prayer Session and Centurion ATM. It also includes the two-year-old filly Baffle, who won a qualifying race last week at Gaitway in 2:00.2 for Trond Smedhammer.

To rewatch Thursday’s action courtesy of The First Mile, presented by onGait, visit the 412 Communications YouTube Page.

The full qualification results can be found at Click here.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA