Split The House gave trainer James “Friday” Dean his third Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic victory July 25 at the Meadowlands.
Wicked Little Minx overcame post 10 and a first-over trip to win the Thomas D’Altrui Miss New Jersey as the Meadowlands’ spotlight was on New Jersey-sired 3- year-old pacers.
In the hands of Randy Waples, Split The House, a son of Rocknroll Hanover — Shake The Junk, got up for a half-length tally over Revenge Shark, while favorite Artspeak, the Dan Patch divisional champion at two, was third by a length and a quarter in the 11th race.
The $200,000 New Jersey Classic and the $100,000 Miss New Jersey are sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey (SBOANJ).
Friday Dean harnessed previous winners Big Jim in 2011 and Panther Hanover in 2012
“He’s a nice horse with all the parts,” Waples said of Split The House in a prepared statement from the SBOANJ. “His only flaw was that he was silly behind the gate. But he’s turned the corner [after some equipment changes].
“I just wanted to draft as long as I could [behind Artspeak]. Then he swelled up and dug in.”
Split The House, bred by Fair Winds Farm of Cream Ridge, paced the mile in 1:48.3
A $60,000 Harrisburg Sale purchase, Split The House was unraced at 2 and has now won seven of nine starts, including three straight.
He has banked $162,158 for Ontario owners Scott Horner of Toronto, Peter Milligan of Mississauga and James J. Dean of Guelph. Wicked Little Minx captured the filly companion race, the Miss New Jersey, the seventh race.
“She’s like a big diesel truck,” winning trainer Nancy Johansson said of the Rocknroll Hanover — Beachy Lady filly who was driven to her second win of the year by Brett Miller.
She coasted past Stacia Hanover (Western Ideal), who cut most of the mile. It was two and a half lengths to favorite The Show Returns (Rocknroll Hanover), who had limited room trying to slip up the rail and finished third.
Wicked Little Minx, a $50,000 Harrisburg Sale purchase by Courant AB of Stockholm, Sweden, improved her record to two wins, one second and three thirds from eight starts this year and 10 of 19 in-the-money lifetime. Her $109,199 earnings this year lifted her total to $157,234. She was bred by Perretti Farms of Cream Ridge.