by James Witherite,
Meadowlands Media Relations
East Rutherford, N.J. -- A
12-race card featuring trotters and distaff pacers awaits punters on Friday
(March 18) at The Meadowlands, with nearly a quarter million dollars in
carryovers and guaranteed pools on the line as well.
Co-featured third-level events
share the spotlight on the track, with a full field of ten trotters competing
in the evening's seventh event and a septet of distaff pacers squaring off in
the night's 11th race. The $12,500 seventh features Julie Miller trainee
Magenta Man, who seeks his seventh win in nine starts on the year. Just
last week, the 4-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding kept on for a 1:53.4 triumph
over World Cup after making two early moves to protect the lead. Usual
driver Andy Miller will team up with Magenta Man from post 4. To Magenta
Man's immediate outside will be World Cup, who swung four-wide off the far turn
and just missed Magenta Man by half a length last week. Joe Bongiorno
once again will drive the Richard Johnson-trained 7-year-old.
A pair of solid invaders are
in the offing, with Can Do (Anthony Napolitano) returning from Saratoga after
enjoying some success in the Open ranks earlier this meet, and Workout Wonder
(Andy McCarthy) commencing his 4-year-old season following mild success on the
New York Sire Stakes circuit last year.
The evening's featured $12,00
distaff features the invading Mandy's Mattjesty, who swept a late closing
series at The Meadows in February. Ron Burke entered the 6-year-old His
Mattjesty mare for the optional $20,000 claiming price, and Joe Bongiorno will
drive her from post 1 in the field of seven. Among her top rivals are Tom
Fanning trainee Do Your Job (Marcus Miller), who emerged through traffic to
save second in her seasonal debut last week, and Mischief Maker N (Steven
Nason), who makes her first Stateside start for new trainer Kelvin Harrison
after winning her last two races in New Zealand at distances of 1-3/16 miles
and 1-9/16 miles, respectively.
Earlier in the night, Tony
O'Sullivan trainee Ava and Ella will look to extend her career record to four
wins in as many starts, as she lines up as the 8/5 morning line favorite in the
second event. Her local debut last week was most decisive, as she cleared
similar rivals from post 10 before opening up in hand to a 1:53.2 score.
Nearly a quarter million
dollars await punters in the form of guaranteed pools and carryovers, including
$135,000 carrying over to the final race 20¢ Jackpot High 5 pool and $105,000
in guaranteed Pick 4 and Pick 5 pools throughout the evening. Fans can
also pad their bankrolls through the "Go Green for Greenbacks"
drawings throughout the evening, and meet their favorite Meadowlands drivers in
a pre-race autograph session.
Post time for Friday's 12-race
card is 7:15 p.m. EDT.
