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Thursday, April 21, 2016

Top Trotters Clash at The Meadowlands on Friday

East Rutherford, NJ – Friday’s Meadowlands card continues the parade of stars returning to the racing wars. Co-featured are the $25,000 Open Handicap Trot (race six) and $25,000 Open Handicap Mare Pace (race 11).

The trotting race boasts a stellar field as Bee A Magician, Resolve and Creatine make their seasonal debut with Shake It Cerry, Gural Hanover, Waiting On A Woman and Opulent Yankee providing the competition.

Six of the seven are targeting the inaugural Mack Lobell Elitlopp Playoff scheduled for May 8 here at The Meadowlands. The winner of that Grand Circuit event will be invited to the Elitlopp raced in Solvalla, Sweden on May 29.

“Queen Bee” took a measure of both Creatine and Resolve in a 1:53.4 qualifier Saturday past and has looked sensational in both of her morning trials. As she embarks on her fifth season of racing trainer Nifty Norman continues to marvel at the depth of her talents and along with owners Dave McDuffee, Mel Hartman and Herb Liverman look forward to what she may accomplish this season. Brian Sears is in for the drive. 

Creatine held well after cutting the mile in that one and along with Resolve, who was a reserved third from well back, will likely move forward of that workout.

Shake It Cerry got a quality first start in last week dashing home in a 26.1 final quarter in a closing second to JL Cruze to be beaten just a length in 1:52.2.

Gural Hanover and Opulent Yankee are coupled for wagering purposes and are both solid performers working into the five-year-old seasons. Waiting On A Woman (ineligible for the Elitlopp Playoff) trotted home in a sneaky 26.2 following Shake It Cerry’s cover last week.

The Mare Open Pace marks the return to The Meadowlands of last season’s three-year-old filly pacer of the year, Divine Caroline. She and entry mate Bettor Be Steppin combined to earn over $1 million for common owners Val’D Or Farm, Ted Gewertz and Rojan Stables (Michael Ouriel is a partner on only Divine Caroline) and trainer Joe Holloway.

The competition is stiff, led by Sandbetweenurtoes, Katie Said and Table Talk who all had a national presence in the older pacing mare division last year and rounds out with the gritty Request For Parole and improving Lovineveryminute.

The supporting card is strong and the wagering opportunities many on Friday evening. The lure of the Jackpot Super Hi-5 carryover is at $184,704 to open the weekend and the standard menu of  horizontal wager guarantees continue. Past performance for the Late Pick 4 remains yours at the click of a mouse for each night’s card, courtesy of Trackmaster.

We’ll roll back the concession prices on Friday with delicious $1 hot dogs and $2 beers (consume responsibly) and continue to sign folks up for a dream trip to the May 7 Kentucky Derby.


Post time is 7:15 p.m.