Field Set For Meadowlands Pace

Custard The Dragon and Big Jim prevailed in a pair of $50,000 eliminations for the $1 million Meadowlands Pace at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Saturday night

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As elimination winners, their connections will have their pick of post positions when they are drawn on Tuesday. The top five from each elimination race contested on Saturday night at the Meadowlands advanced to the Meadowlands Pace Final, the track’s signature event for three-year-old pacers on Saturday, July 16.

In the first elimination, the fifth race, Hempt and Hoosier Cup champion Custard The Dragon re-took the lead from his stablemate Wink N Atcha on the backstretch and repelled a late challenge from Foreclosure N to pick up his fourth win in nine starts this year in 1:50.2.

Montrell Teague, the 20-year-old who handles Custard The Dragon, will become the youngest driver in a Meadowlands Pace final. The colt is trained by his father, George Teague Jr., who won the 2007 Meadowlands Pace with Southwind Lynx.

“He has been a good colt all year long,” said George Teague, who will be represented by three starters in his sixth consecutive Meadowlands Pace.

“He’s two-finger, perfect to drive,” noted Montrell Teague. “He just wants to win.”

Custard The Dragon [$24.20, $9.20, $11.80] was a one-length winner over Foreclosure N [$4.80, $3.80], driven by Tim Tetrick, who edged out Wink N Atcha, with Yannick Gingras in the sulky, in third. Also advancing to the final will be Roll With Joe, who was fourth, and Bestofthebest Hanover in fifth. North America Cup champion Up The Credit finished eighth and did not advance to the final.

Custard The Dragon, a three-year-old son of Dragon Again-Eternal Justice, has seven wins, one second and two thirds from 13 career starts, earning $551,427 for the ownership of Ted Gewertz of New York, New York, Robert Feldman of Palm Beach, Florida, Fannin Racing LLC of Lincoln, Delaware and George Teague Jr. Inc. of Harrington, Delaware.

New Jersey Classic champion Big Jim, with Phil Hudon driving, moved to the lead after an opening quarter in 27.1 and never relinquished the front, taking the second elimination, the sixth race, in 1:50 flat.

The Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year in 2010 is trained by James “Friday” Dean and owned James Carr of Hamilton, Ont.

“He was awesome,” said Hudon, who will be making his Meadowlands Pace debut. “He paced right to the wire. It’s going to be an interesting final.”

Big Jim [$5.20, $3.00, $2.60] finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Powerful Mist [$3.40, $2.10] with Andy Miller driving, and it was two lengths to Betterthancheddar [$4.00] in third with driver David Miller. Also advancing Feel Like A Fool, the third member of the Teague Stable to qualify for the final, and Westwardho Hanover, who was fifth.

Big Jim, a son of Western Ideal-Bold Pink, recorded his third win of the year and has finished on the board in all six 2011 starts. He has been in the top three in 15 of 16 career starts for a bankroll of $1,282,580.

Earlier in the card, three divisions of New Jersey Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings were contested in races one through three.

Pet Rock cruised to a four-length victory over D Terminata, who edged Yep five lengths back in third, in the first event, an $18,200 division. All three are sons of Rocknroll Hanover. Tim Tetrick guided Pet Rock to his first win in his second start. Trained by Virgil Morgan and owned by Frank Bellino of Bronxville, New York, Pet Rock paced the mile in 1:52.3.

I Fought Dalaw, sent off at 1-9, withstood the late challenge of 20-1 to win by a nose in a 1:52.1 mile in the $18,200 second race. It was five and a quarter lengths back to Handsome Henry K in third. All three are sons of Western Ideal. I Fought Dalaw cut the mile and paced a 26-second final quarter to pick up his second win in two starts. David Miller drove the colt, who is trained by Sam DePinto and races in the names of Shannon DePinto of Cream Ridge, New Jersey and Michael Parisi of Allentown, New Jersey.

In the $18,700 final division, the third race, a trio of Rocknroll Hanover colts took the first three positions. Time To Roll fired through the stretch with Brian Sears at the lines to win the fastest split in 1:51.2. It was three lengths back to Mybrothergeorge in second and three and a half lengths to Camp Counselor in third. Owned and bred by Lothlorien of Cheltenham, Ont., Time To Roll posted his first win in two tries. He is trained by Jimmy Takter.

The leading point earners will advance to the $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final, one of a quartet of championship stakes for two-year-olds sharing the Meadowlands Pace card on July 16.

For results and replays of Saturday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Meadowlands Racetrack.

(With files from NJSEA)