by James Witherite,
Meadowlands racing media
East Rutherford, N.J. –
A top-level conditioned pace headlines Friday (December 23) evening’s 13-race
card at The Meadowlands, and players will note a couple youthful additions to
the Big M driver colony.
The night’s sixth race
takes top billing, as nine upper-level pacers square off for a $15,500 purse in
the closing leg of the early Pick 4. Betty Tauber’s Elrama N seeks a third
consecutive win after circling off cover to a 1:50.3 score over fourth-level
rivals on a chilly December 16 evening. As Corey Callahan will be absent for
the Friday card, trainer Michael Russo secured Brett Miller—a winner of eight
races last Friday—to handle the driving duties of the 22-time winner. Elrama N,
one of two horses in the field to be entered for the optional $50,000 claiming
price, has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite from post 3.
Among the eight with
whom Elrama N will contend are Ron Burke trainee Rufo, who has been first or
second in four of his last five races in Pennsylvania, and Alberto Contador N,
who arrives from Yonkers following a pair of strong closing bids. Rufo, a
pillar-to-post winner at Pocono two back, figures well to be the pacesetter in
this group after likewise nearly controlling the terms in a similar event at
Harrah’s Philadelphia more recently. Joe Bongiorno drives the 7-2 second choice
from post 4. Alberto Contador N could well be a factor from off the pace,
noting his near miss at Yonkers in his last effort. Jim Marohn, Jr. drives the
Darran Cassar trainee from post 6.
In terms of new
additions to the driver colony, Tyler Smith will look to build momentum after
his driving double last Thursday. The top-five Hoosier Park driver will drive
in 12 of the night’s 13 races, including five starters at 6-1 or lower in the
morning line. Smith will have company this week as Drew Monti arrives after
capturing the Batavia Downs driving title. The 22-year-old Canisius College
alumnus is slated to drive in seven races on the Friday program.
As usual, $105,000 in
guaranteed Pick 4 and Pick 5 pools await players on- and off-track alike
throughout the Friday card. Post time is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Eastern.
