To Dream On was ultra-impressive in her career debut, romping to a 1:55.3 score in the first of three $10,588 John Simpson Memorial divisions for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Thursday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Driven and trained by Jimmy Takter, the daughter of Credit Winner-Satin Pillows overshadowed her competitors by 11 lengths. Her clocking was just 3/5 of a second off the 1:55 Meadowlands track record set by Macaria Hanover in a November 2005 Breeders Crown elimination. To Dream On was a $200,000 yearling purchase at Harrisburg by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld of Ontario.
Lady Riviera, a half-sister to world champion Chapter Seven, also showed some star power as she took the second Simpson division in 1:58 over Morningstar, another Takter trainee. Ron Pierce steered Lady Riviera to a length victory in her career debut. Richard Banca trains the homebred daughter of Sand Vic-La Riviera for his father, Richard T. Banca of Franklin Lakes, NJ.
Miss Steele closed in a swift :27.3 to steal the third division from Dewey Lane. Andy Miller guided the daughter of Muscles Yankee-Edith’s Chip to her first victory for his wife, Julie, and Omer Miller of Humboldt, IL. Miss Steele was a $22,000 yearling buy at the Lexington Selected Sale.
Caveat Emptor proved his worth with a decisive 1:57 score in the lone $27,065 Simpson division for 2-year-old trotting colts. With driver-trainer-owner Ray Schnittker in tow, Caveat Emptor brushed to the lead at the half and drew off to a five-length victory over Corky (also from the Takter stable). He is a son of Schnittker’s 2008 Hambletonian winner Deweycheatumnhowe out of the Conway Hall mare Venus Hall. Schnittker and Caveat Emptor of Middletown, NY paid $60,000 for the colt in Lexington.
