By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Saturday
night, the place to be for an end of the year stakes-season sendoff spectacular
card of harness racing is at the showcase of the sport, the Meadowlands.
Speaking of sendoffs, Big M enthusiasts
will also get to say goodbye to an all-time great as Foiled Again appears on
the track one last time at the mile oval before meeting and greeting his
faithful fans.
Horse of the Year front-runner
McWicked (TVG open pace) and the still-in-the-hunt Shartin N (TVG female pace)
are the marquee names in two of six stakes events on the 13-race program, which
gets underway at 7:15 p.m.
Defending Horse of the Year Hannelore
Hanover takes on Breeders Crown champion Emoticon Hanover in the TVG female
trot while 3-year-olds Tactical Landing and Six Pack duke it out for divisional
honors as they face off with older foes Marion Marauder and Cruzado Dela Noche
in the TVG open trot.
They’ll also be 2-year-olds in action
in the Three Diamonds for filly pacers (featuring Breeders Crown winner
Warrawee Ubeaut), the Goldsmith Maid for filly trotters, the Governor’s Cup for
pacing colts and geldings (with BC champ Captain Crunch) and the Valley Victory
for colt and gelding trotters.
Harness insiders talk Foiled Again
With the Meadowlands celebrating the
five-year anniversary of the opening of its new grandstand, the great pacer
Foiled Again, he of 106 career wins and $7.6 million in earnings, will be on
the scene. Having won the much-hyped 2013 TVG open pace, he might be wondering
why he isn’t in Saturday night’s TVG, but he will be racing on the card,
leaving from post seven in the “Auld Land Syne”, which is the third race on the
program. After he cools down, racing fans are encouraged to come back to the
Big M’s ‘Backyard’ and meet Foiled, and to take pictures with a horse that
history is sure to recognize as one of the greatest of all-time. There is also
a commemorative Foiled Again poster giveaway, available at the Players Club
Desk beginning at 6 p.m.
The Meadowlands caught up with some
harness racing experts, and this what they had to say about Foiled Again:
Yannick Gingras, driver, Foiled
Again: Foiled
Again’s and my careers took off at the same time and I can’t help but think he
was a huge part in taking me to the next level as a catch driver. His
longevity, toughness, will to win and forgiveness of a tough trip is what made
him so special. He was not the fastest horse I’ve ever driven but he will for
sure be the toughest, gamest horse I will ever drive.
The TVG meant so much
that year with Captain(treacherous) being in it and all the hype around him
plus Pet Rock, Sweet Lou and others. He was the old guy against a bunch of
much-younger horses trying to take his spot. But in his true self, Foiled Again
refused to lose and took it to all of them. (He held off Golden Receiver
by a neck in 1:49.2.)
His BC win that year to
me is my favorite and is the perfect race to describe Foiled as he was sooooo
game that night and he fought horses coming from everywhere, but the TVG is a
very close second and it’s a race I’ll never forget (like many other of his
races).
I will be forever
thankful for him and what he has done for my family but also to the sport in
general. He was a breath of fresh air and the ‘people’s horse’ in a sport that
need many more feel-good stories like Foiled Again’s.
A true champion I will
miss but never forget.
Bob “Hollywood” Heyden, Meadowlands
TV personality, handicapper and historian: I remember the 2013 TVG Pace well, the
(new grandstand) had just opened. Foiled Again, whose 47 starts at the
Meadowlands are the most he has at any one track, dug in as was his style, and
held off a grandiose field. (Keep in mind that Sweet Lou came back in 2014 to
dominate this event by a city block and then retired.) An amazingly durable
horse was Foiled Again at the top level, which is unheard of. I recall this
horse made $57,000 at 2 and 3 COMBINED! He had three straight $1 million
seasons – when he 7, 8 and 9-years-old – and is $1,120 in front of McWicked
going into this weekend as the richest 7-year-old in the history of the game as
a pacer. I loved this horse, knowing how he gave his all each and every time
and it didn’t seem to matter where he was or who he was in with. The modern-day
Rambling Willie, he ignored the calendar and has earned $7.6 million. For the
last 75 months, he has been the richest pacer in harness history. The numbers
could fill up a couple more pages.
What a way
to kick off the TVG than with Foiled Again in 2013!
John
Campbell, President and CEO, The Hambletonian Society: I was in the 2013 TVG (driving Modern
Legend, who finished fifth), and Foiled Again was a very difficult horse to
race against because he was so tough. That was a great race. There was a lot of
build up with Captaintreacherous going in. It was one of many great races
Foiled went. I think what’s astounding is how he raced at that top level and
won major free-for-all stakes for I don’t know how many years. He’s going to be
in the conversation with almost everybody when we talk about our all-time
greats because of his longevity and the level that he raced at.
Moira Fanning, Director of Publicity
and COO, The Hambletonian Society: To me, Foiled Again epitomizes harness racing. He
wasn’t a flashy 2- or 3-year-old but he kept going out on the track and
grinding out wins and money. He rose to the highest echelon in racing and
stayed there far longer than expected. He wouldn’t stand out in a crowd
and was just another bay Standardbred – until he hit the racetrack, where his
workmanlike attitude meant he raced about every two weeks, year after year, and
suddenly was inching past all hoses for money earned – $4 million, $5 million,
$6 million – finally coming to rest at the legal age of retirement, 14, with
$7.6 million banked.
He was
always kind of standoffish, too, didn’t seek attention and didn’t even like
being turned out with other horses – Foiled Again is no herd animal, but
he ended up being the leader of the pack. His personality seems changed a bit
as well, to where he relishes the pictures, is cool with all the hoopla and
puts his head down to be petted by the fans who drive from near and far to see
him.
Now that’s
a true-blue collar hero!
Jeff
Gural, Chairman and CEO, The Meadowlands: He was obviously a great horse and I am glad he chose this
Saturday to make an appearance. He won so many races it is hard to remember any
specific one!
Debbie Little, harness
racing writer/handicapper, New York Post: To be at the top of his game for as many years as he
was, racing against the best in the business, is just extraordinary. He was
great to watch when he won as the favorite but much more fun when he won as a
long shot like in the 2012 Canadian Pacing Derby beating Betterthancheddar by a
neck at 14-1. I remember the Niatross tour in 1996 and it was such a great
thing for the fans and I think it's amazing that the connections of Foiled
Again were willing to take this on. People need heroes in this sport that don't
disappear after competing for just a year or two. Thank you to Foiled Again for
always giving us his best and for doing it for as long as he has.
He will be missed.
