The
talented trio were awarded byes to the final on July 13, the richest stakes in
the U.S. for 3-year-old pacers.
Entries
for The Pace closed with 13 set to go. The top three money earners this season
were awarded spots in the final. The remaining 10 will battle for the seven
remaining berths in a $50,000 elimination on Saturday night.
The
connections of the elimination winner will select their post for the final. The
other nine are at the mercy of a random draw.
The
Pace draw will be held Saturday night following the elimination.
The
bye insures that Captaintreacherous, the brightest star in harness racing,
makes the field for The Pace.
The
defending Pacer of the Year is a perfect 5 for 5 this year following a gritty
victory last weekend in the Max C. Hempt Memorial at Pocono Downs. On Tuesday,
Captaintreacherous was named the U.S. Trotting Association’s Horse of the Month
for June based on wins in the Hempt and the North America Cup at Mohawk Raceway.
His
overall record is 13 for 15 with $1.7 million in earnings.
In
Saturday’s Pace elimination, Rockin Amadeus and Johny Rock, the 1-2 finishers
in the New Jersey Sires Stakes final here last month, square off again.
Sunshine
Beach, fifth in the North America Cup, bids for a fourth win in six tries this
season as the 5-2 Pace elimination favorite.
Beach
Memories paced a lifetime best 1:48 3/5 victory last week in the Hempt
consolation.
Older
pacers are also in The Meadowlands spotlight on Saturday night with a pair of
$50,000 eliminations for the $471,800 William Haughton Memorial
The
first five finishes in each division advance to the final, a major supporting
event on Pace Night. The connections of each division winner chose their post
positions.
Foiled
Again, the first pacer to surpass $5 million in career earnings, tops the first
Haughton elim. The amazingly durable 9-year-old gelding is still going strong,
having just captured the $500,000 Ben Franklin Final last weekend at Pocono
Downs. He races as an entry with Hugadragon, winner of five straight at the
Meadows, as the 2-1 favorites.
Pet
Rock, hard luck loser to Foiled Again by a nose in the Ben Franklin, is one of
six million dollar winners in the second Haughton elimination. Bolt The Duer is
the 2-1 favorite after equaling his career-best clocking of 1:47 4/5 in Ben
Franklin consolation.
The
$184,250 Mistletoe Shalee for 3-year-old filly pacers, another of the
attractions on Pace Night, closed with seven entrants so no eliminations were
necessary.
