by James Witherite,
Meadowlands Media Relations
East Rutherford, N.J. -- Just
last week, Steve Elliott trainee Rockeyed Optimist held off Dovuto Hanover and
Take It Back Terry for a 1:50.2 triumph in a $25,000 Open Pace at The
Meadowlands. The competition heats up even more for the 5-year-old
Rocknroll Hanover gelding this Saturday (March 12) night, as he'll not only
once again face Dovuto Hanover, but stakes-proven Sunfire Blue Chip and
Bettor's Edge as well in the weekly feature.
Bettor's Edge, unraced since
his 19-1 upset in the $400,000 TVG Free-For-All last November, competes for the
Ron Burke stable as the 2-1 morning line favorite. The TVG score is one
of 26 career wins for the 7-year-old, and he's amassed over $1.7 million in
career earnings. Joe Bongiorno, who drove him to a third-place finish in
the American-National last fall in Illinois, will be at the lines.
From post 4 will await 19-time
winner Sunfire Blue Chip, a career earner of over $950,000. The
6-year-old entire has been racing in upper-level events at Yonkers of late,
finishing first or second in four of his last five outings. Hall of Fame
trainer Jimmy Takter calls upon Hall of Fame driver John Campbell to team up
with the son of American Ideal.
Rockeyed Optimist, meanwhile,
will be reunited with Tim Tetrick, who has returned from Florida after last
weekend's Pro-Am event at Pompano Park. So far in 2016, Rockeyed Optimist
has amassed two wins and a near miss in three starts, just last week brushing
to the fore and holding sway from the late-charging Dovuto Hanover while
odds-on. The 17-time winner will start from post 7 as the 5-2 morning
line second choice.
Punters are reminded that the
$30,000 Pick 5 has shifted to begin in race 1, while the pair of Pick 4s--pools
guaranteed for $25,000 and $50,000 respectively--now kick off in races 3 and
7. Post time for Saturday's 13-race card is 7:15 p.m. Eastern.
