Valentino and All Speed Hanover raced to narrow victories in their eliminations Saturday for next weekend's $500,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic at the Meadowlands.
Valentino edged Allthatgltrsisgold by a nose in the first division, while All Speed Hanover nipped pacesetter BJ's Folly at the wire in the second division.
Driven by George Brennan, Valentino ($8.40) burst through on the pylons to best Allthatgltrsisgold, covering the mile for 3-year-old pacers in 1:50.3. It was a length behind to pacesetter Shoobee's Place.
Classic Rock Nroll (fourth) and BJ's Bequia (fifth) also advanced to the New Jersey Classic final on Saturday.
All Speed Hanover ($2.20) paced his mile in 1:50.4 with Ron Pierce in the bike. It was his first win in two starts this year.
Piece Of The Rock (third), World Of Rocknroll (fourth) and Foreign Officer (fifth) completed the list of colts advancing to the New Jersey Classic Final.
The $500,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic and $175,000 Thomas D'Altrui Miss New Jersey for fillies are sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey and named for two of its founding members.
The events will share the spotlight with a pair of $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Championships for 3-year-old trotters on the sport's richest night for state-bred racehorses at the Meadowlands.
