The talented trio were awarded byes to the final on July
13, the richest stakes in the U.S. for 3-year-old pacers.
Entries for The Pace closed with 13 set to go. The top
three money earners this season were awarded spots in the final. The remaining
10 will battle for the seven remaining berths in a $50,000 elimination on
Saturday night.
The connections of the elimination winner will select
their post for the final. The other nine are at the mercy of a random draw.
The Pace draw will be held Saturday night following the
elimination.
The bye insures that Captaintreacherous, the brightest
star in harness racing, makes the field for The Pace.
The defending Pacer of the Year is a perfect 5 for 5 this
year following a gritty victory last weekend in the Max C. Hempt Memorial at
Pocono Downs. On Tuesday, Captaintreacherous was named the U.S. Trotting
Association’s Horse of the Month for June based on wins in the Hempt and the
North America Cup at Mohawk Raceway.
His overall record is 13 for 15 with $1.7 million in
earnings.
In Saturday’s Pace elimination, Rockin Amadeus and Johny
Rock, the 1-2 finishers in the New Jersey Sires Stakes final here last month,
square off again.
Sunshine Beach, fifth in the North America Cup, bids for
a fourth win in six tries this season as the 5-2 Pace elimination favorite.
Beach Memories paced a lifetime best 1:48 3/5 victory
last week in the Hempt consolation.
Older pacers are also in The Meadowlands spotlight on
Saturday night with a pair of $50,000 eliminations for the $471,800 William
Haughton Memorial The first five finishes in each division advance to the
final, a major supporting event on Pace Night. The connections of each division
winner chose their post positions.
Foiled Again, the first pacer to surpass $5 million in
career earnings, tops the first Haughton elim. The amazingly durable 9-year-old
gelding is still going strong, having just captured the $500,000 Ben Franklin
Final last weekend at Pocono Downs. He races as an entry with Hugadragon,
winner of five straight at the Meadows, as the 2-1 favorites.
Pet Rock, hard luck loser to Foiled Again by a nose in
the Ben Franklin, is one of six million dollar winners in the second Haughton
elimination. Bolt The Duer is the 2-1 favorite after equaling his career-best
clocking of 1:47 4/5 in Ben Franklin consolation.
The $184,250 Mistletoe Shalee for 3-year-old filly
pacers, another of the attractions on Pace Night, closed with seven entrants so
no eliminations were necessary.
