Coversano takes NJSS Finals at Big M

East Rutherford, NJ — Conversano made the lead early in their respective $225,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes finals for 3-year-old trotters at The Meadowlands Friday night (June 14) and were more than good enough to make those early advantages hold up to the finish line in impressive efforts.

Conversano continued her superb campaign for trainer Juan Cano, as after brushing to the lead after the quarter, the Andy McCarthy-driven lass was an easy winner in the split for fillies.

“I knew I had a nice horse going into the Garden State [her second start, and win, of 2025],” said Cano. “She was nice at 2 but she wasn’t mature, she needed time.”

Well, her time has come.

In what was the most wide-open race of the 14 on the program on paper, Conversano tore her opponents to shreds, blasting down the pike after making it to the half in :56.2 and three-quarters in 1:25.2.

From there, driver McCarthy coaxed a final quarter of :27.1 out of the daughter of Muscle Hill-Celebrity Ruth on the way to a 1-length win over a pocket-sitting Torrisi (Todd McCarthy). Even-money favorite What A Bid Hanover (Ake Svanstedt), caught in a traffic jam that looked like the Lincoln Tunnel at 5 p.m., rallied for third after swinging four-wide from tenth with a quarter to go.

Conversano completed the mile in 1:52.3 and paid $9.40 as the 7-2 second choice on the tote board. She’s now won six of 13 career outings and earned $206,125 for her owners Hot Lead Farm.

“She’s happy every day. She trains on the front end at home and always fights back,” said Cano, who couldn’t help but think about the first Saturday in August. “The dream all along has been the Hambletonian Oaks. She needed to mature and she has done that at 3.”

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Gigglingonthebeach wins Lynch consolations

August 16, 2025

Favored Gigglingonthebeach went a :26.2 quarter getting by Westwinds, then still had enough to stave off that potential pocket rocket while coming home in :27.2 to win the $125,000 Lynch Consolation I by a neck in a career-best 1:50 at Pocono Downs. Driver James MacDonald and trainer Juan Cano, a hot combination in recent weeks, combined for the win with the daughter of Papi Rob Hanover , who is owned by Hot Lead Farm.

Conversano wins 55th Hambletonian Oaks

August 2, 2025

East Rutherford, NJ – An early give-and-go proved the winning move for Conversano , who rallied from an earned pocket to collar Walspea in the final 100 yards of the 55th edition of the $500,000 Grade 1 Hambletonian Oaks, for 3-year-old trotting fillies, on Saturday (Aug. 2) at the Meadowlands. In line to James MacDonald, the daughter of Muscle Hill -Celebrity Ruth found herself in the middle of a three-filly scrum for the early lead, flanked on approach to the first turn by Sound Judgement (driven by Kevin Oscarsson) and Aperfect Annie (Todd McCarthy), who cleared for a brief lead. After being looped, Conversano pushed forward to seize control at the end of a :27.1 first quarter, only to yield to Walspea (Trond Smedshammer) — who brushed out of midfield upon reaching the backstretch — with five-eighths to go. As Walspea and Conversano raced one-two through middle fractions of :55 and 1:24.1, Sound Judgement made her second move, sustaining gradual first-over gains through the far turn to put mild pressure on the leader while towing Miss Belmar (Andy McCarthy) and Deja Blu (Yannick Gingras) into striking range for the stretch drive. Walspea did rebuff Sound Judgement off the corner for home, but Conversano had plenty left to emerge from the pocket in the final furlong and grind to the fore late in a lifetime-best 1:51.2 mile. Walspea held second, beaten a length; Delaney Hanover (Scott Zeron) rallied boldly off failing cover to eclipse Deja Blu for third, another three-quarters of a length back. The Oaks wasn’t even on MacDonald’s radar until a week ago, when he drove Gigglingonthebeach to a second-place finish in a Tompkins-Geers division for trainer Juan Cano, who in turn found himself in need of a driver for Conversano when Andy McCarthy opted to remain with Hambletonian Oaks elimination winner Miss Belmar for the final. “It’s just a case of right place, right time,” said MacDonald. “It wasn’t even on my radar, and Juan came to me, ‘Are you coming next week?’ I said, ‘I’ll probably come for Gigglingonthebeach (in the Shady Daisy). It’s Hambo Day; I love being here.’ He said, ‘Maybe I’ll put you on the one in the Oaks, too.’ I was just shocked. Any time you can pick up a winner, it’s unbelievable.” The Ontario-based MacDonald has enjoyed a flurry of recent success in major Meadowlands races, having won the 2024 Meadowlands Pace, with Legendary Hanover , and a pair of Breeders Crowns, with Coach Stefanos and Lady Landia. Conversano is now a nine-time winner with $513,636 in earnings from 17 starts for breeder Joseph Parisi’s Hot Lead Farm. She paid $6.80 to win as the 2-1 favorite.