East Rutherford, NJ - Several more
stakes stars of last season will make their return to the races on Saturday
night at The Meadowlands. With the first of three Graduate Series pacing legs
set for May 6, Boston Red Rocks, Check Six and Western Fame gather in the
evening's eighth race to get their four-year-old seasons underway with an eye
on that target.
Boston Red Rocks was the top
freshman of the 2015 class and had a successful if not spectacular sophomore
season, picking up over $400,000 and edging past $1 million in career
earnings for owners Peter Blood and Rick Berks. Trainer Steve Elliott put three
qualifiers into him, the most recent a solid closing 1:50.1 win from off the
pace for regular driver Tim Tetrick.
Check Six had a million dollar
season last year, dominating the Pennsylvania program while winning eleven
times including the PASS final and PA Classic and having a presence on the
Grand Circuit for owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Switala and Martin.
He's had two preps going in for trainer Ron Burke with Yannick Gingras at the
lines, his latest a 1:52.2 score with a 26 flat kicker.
Western Fame was virtually unraced
at two but blossomed into a major stakes winner last summer for trainer Jimmy
Takter. He won a heat of the Jug and a division of the Bluegrass, earning
nearly a half million dollars for Brittany Farms with Mark Mac Donald doing the
bulk of the driving.
They'll sort it out on Saturday
while gaining form toward future Grand Circuit engagements
Saturday also marks the $50,000
final of the World Harness Handicapping Challenge and it is not to
late to enter the competition.
