The morning training session included impressive performances by youngsters trained by Paul Kelley, Tony Alagna, Lindy Farms, Fred Grant and Ross Croghan.

by Ron Gurfein

To say it was a beautiful morning Saturday at Sunshine Meadows would be a major understatement. The general consensus was it was the nicest morning of the season. It was 61 when I left the house and 15 minutes later I’m out of the car and taking my sweatshirt off. There was not a cloud to be seen. The early chill was to lessen the crowd, but there were many new and formidable additions as the morning went on.

On hand for the training sessions was the master of the Meadowlands himself, Mr Jeff Gural, Geoff Stein’s son Joey, Bill Donovan, Bill Biggler, Charley Dombeck, a famous Gural henchman Sir Nicholas Salvi, Jay Wertheim, plus the usual suspects.

At this time of year, it becomes difficult to tell the difference between the slow three-year-olds and the fast two-year-olds. It’s way too early to critique 3-year-olds in training as in 2:20 they all better look great.

Paul Kelley had a nice set in 2:35/:35 Macallan, a Credit Winner colt from Margarita Hall and Evie Hanover a beautiful Cantab Hall filly out of Epona Blue Chip.

Interesting note: I met Kelley’s famed understudy Chad Brown out for dinner on Thursday night and was really surprised at how young he looks. He was also extremely friendly. Another two of Kelley’s that were eye catching were the $300,000 Cantab Hall filly Seaside Bliss out of You Want Me and a Credit Winner filly from Royal Assets, both together at the wire in 2:37/:36.

Lindy Farms unveiled a formidable new player in an unnamed Father Patrick colt out of Highscore Kemp, a nice big racy looking youngster with a fabulous gait. Two other appealing Lindy youngsters were Hall Of A Dream a Cantab Hall filly out of Luna Dream OM and Foot Loose a Crazed filly from Teachmehowtolindy.

It was work as usual at the Alagna Stable. With Tony away, mom was in full charge running the show. Three Captaintreacherous babies impressed this morning — two colts and a filly.

Tall Drink Hanover — I love Murray Brown but that name has to go— a filly out of Take Into Account and the colts Odds On Boca Raton, from Captiva Island, and Intent Hanover, from It was Fascination, all on the wire together in 2:32/:35.

Russell Williams is the owner of a lovely pair of fillies in the Fred Grant Barn. Reverse Ferret, a Donato Hanover from Transgression and a full sister to Nuncio, Aziza, a Andover Hall out of Nicole Isabelle, both timed in 2:40/:36.

Last but not least, a great looking pair of colts from the Ross Croghan barn owned by Eric Cherry. Admiral Ballsey a Captaintreacherous from Drop The Ball and Mensa Man, a Badlands Hanover out of Mind Boggling were impressive in 2:28/:34.

I apologize for not having done much with Casie Coleman’s barn, but I seem to catch her and some others on days that they are training the three-year-olds. I will do my best to rectify this matter.