East Rutherford, NJ - Saturday's weather forecast is for warmer conditions and the
racing action heats up in kind as three Winter Series' finals and the
opening leg of the William "Buddy" Gilmour late-closers lead
the thirteen race card.
The $49,000 Charles Singer trotting final opens the stakes action
in race two with Super Bowl series champ JL Cruze taking on six rivals
for John Campbell. A model of consistency throughout the winter
racing, JL Cruze as won four of six and $52,500 for trainer Eric Ell and
owners Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar Jr and Steve Iaquinta.
The $59,000 Sonsam final for three and four year old pacing males
(race six) pits the speedy Rockeyed Optomist against potential series
sweeper Major Uptrend.
Rockeyed Optomist closed out his 1:50.3 leg two win with a searing
25.4 final panel last week, his first race with The Meadowlands hottest
reinsman Brett Miller aboard. Steve Elliott trains the talented
four-year-old for Anthony Perretti, Ginny Berkner, A&B Stable and Joe
Battaglia.
Major Uptrend has captured both leg starts in forwardly
placed fashion for Meadowlands leading trainer/driver combo of Ron Burke
and Yannick Gingras and owner Howard Taylor.
A very competitive field of six pacing mares will contest the
$50,600 Burning Point final (race eleven) with Empress Deo seeking the
series sweep and finally earning the respect of the oddsmaker and
horseplayer alike. After having returned a $30 mutuel in leg one,
then $12 last week, she goes into the final as the morning line
choice. Brett Miller drives for trainer Wayne Givens and owner Legacy
Racing of Delaware.
The Buddy Gilmour series is restricted to sophomore pacing colts
& geldings and offers a look at two of the more exciting prospects we've
seen thus far in 2015. They drew apart for the opening $17,500
Gilmour divisions, heightening the anticipation of an eventual match-up down
the road.
National Seelster was unraced at two, but has certainly caught the
eye of racing fans this winter with an impressive pair of wins against
overnight company. He starts from the rail in race five with Andy Miller at the
lines for trainer Chris Ryder and owners Bob Mondillo and Oompa's Farm.
The lightly raced Wiggle It Jiggleit came to The Meadowlands for a
leg of the Sonsam two weeks ago with some pretty imposing lines on his card and
left with the respect of his peers after a crushing first-over 1:49.4 win
against older horses.
Owner George Teague Jr skipped leg two of the Sonsam and bypasses
the final of that series to race against his age group in this
late-closer. That is good news for those racing in the Sonsam final but
not such good news for his rivals in the Gilmour. Montrell Teague drives and
Clyde Francis trains the Mr Wiggles gelding.
On the wagering front, Saturday offers a qualifier for the World
Harness Handicapping Championship along with the Jackpot
Hi-5 carryovers and various guaranteed wagers available for
horseplayers seeking value.
Post time is 7:15.
