by James Witherite,
Meadowlands Media Relations
East Rutherford, N.J. -- A
trio of upper-level conditioned paces headline Saturday (January 23) evening's
harness racing program at The Meadowlands, with Fox Racing and Darius Oshidar's
Kingofthejungle looking to reclaim his crown after a trio of game but
unsuccessful efforts in Open company. Additionally, 12 of the evening's
14 races boasting full fields of 10 starters.
Kingofthejungle, a 13-time
winner from the Mark Capone stable, was installed as the 3-1 morning line
favorite from post 9 in the evening's featured ninth event, a $16,000
conditioned pace. After kicking cover to win a $25,000 Open event on
December 19, the 5-year-old Well Said gelding chased valiantly in his last
three efforts, but was outmatched by Bushwacker on all three occasions.
He retreats back to the conditioned ranks, and Andy Miller remains in the
bike. The team will square off against a pair of other Open defectors in
Shooter's Dream (Yannick Gingras, post 5), and Sweet Beach (Brett Miller, post
6), who most recently rallied from last to take third at 77-1 in last week's
Open. Also of note in the evening's top pacing event is 11-year-old
veteran Real Nice, whose recent back-to-back wins pushed his career tally to
53. Scott Blackler trains the earner of over $1.3 million, and Scott
Zeron remains aboard for the driving duties.
The ninth race also begins the
late Pick 4, which boasts a $50,000 guaranteed pool. An earlier Pick 5
(beginning in race 3) and Pick 4 (beginning in race 5) combine to offer a
further $55,000 in guaranteed pools.
Just one race before the
feature, a full field of 10 third-level conditioned pacers vie for a $13,000
purse, with half of the entrants finishing in the money at a similar level in
their most recent race. Vice Consul N (Gingras, post 5), Dune Dude (Corey
Callahan, post 6), and Jacksrluckytoo (Joe Bongiorno, post 8) are an evenly
matched top trio in the morning line, installed at 4-1, 7-2, and 5-1,
respectively. Vice Consul N makes his second Stateside start for the Ron
Burke stable, having chased sternly off cover to take third in a similar event
a fortnight ago. John Marulli, Jr. trainee Dune Dude bounces back off an
extended first-over battle which saw him just miss Charger Blue Chip in that
same race, and the Rob Harmon stable's Jacksrluckytoo ships in off a win--his
third in four starts--at Yonkers, rallying from off the pace to take an event
for non-winners of four pari-mutuel races.
Post time for Saturday's card,
featuring nearly $70,000 in Jackpot High-5 carryovers should Friday's not be
captured by a single punter, is 6:35 p.m. Eastern time.
