g>East Rutherford, NJ --- Breakfast With The Babies, final edition of 2017, began at 9:30 a.m. on a cool, overcast morning with the temperature at 66 degrees. Gabe Prewitt was there to paint a picture of the races with words.

 

Strawberry Hanover won the opener for Andy Miller, moving from the pocket around the second turn to take over from Padua Hanover and sprinting off as she pleased in 1:58.4 with a :28.1 final quarter. Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld were the successful bidders at $95,000 for Strawberry Hanover at the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg last fall and Julie Miller is the trainer. She drove another from the Miller barn, Final Lady, to be second.

 

Wolfgang returned from an unsuccessful visit to Ohio for a Sires Stake to win for Jimmy Takter in 1:57.4 with a 28.1 final quarter. Takter took him back early, marched up uncovered past the half to engage Hat Trick Habit (Domenico Cecere) just past the :59.3 half then wore that stubborn rival down late in the stretch for the win. Wolfgang was a $60,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase for Brixton Medical, Goran Falk, Hatfield Stable and his breeder Fair Island Farm. Hat Trick Habit went a brave trip to be second.

 

Andy Miller doubled up with his Make It A Double in the third. The pair sat just behind leader Go To Hill (Takter) past the 1:28.2 three panels and when shown racetrack Make It A Double forged by in the stretch for the 1:58 flat win. Go To Hill gave way grudgingly in a good effort. The winner was an $80,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale buy for Andy Miller Stable, Jason & Doug Allen and Julie Miller is the trainer.

 

Takter came back to take the fourth for pacing fillies with the homebred Betterthanbrie in 1:55.1. The pair sat just off the pace of Balestra Hanover (A. Miller) through three-quarters in 1:27.1 then pushed past late for the win. Christina Takter and John Fielding share ownership of the Betterthancheddar first cropper.

 

The 2-year-old race season came to an end with a whimper as only two made their way out to the track and the gelding Ideal Deal outpaced the filly Miss Hill in 1:57.2. It was the Millers again as Andy drove and Julie trains Ideal Deal who is owned by Andy Miler Stable, Nick Surick and Harvey Eisman.

 

Live racing tonight is highlighted by the eliminations for the Aug. 5 $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks and a mandatory payout for the Super Hi-5 Jackpot in the last race where the pool is more than $68,000 and likely to reach a solid six figure total by off time.