Friday’s Meadowlands Racetrack program will continue the parade of stars that will return to the racing wars.
The co-featured races on the program are the $25,000 Open Handicap Trot (Race 6) and $25,000 Open Handicap Mare Pace (Race 11).
The trotting race boasts a stellar field, as Bee A Magician, Resolve and Creatine will each make their seasonal debuts. Shake It Cerry, Gural Hanover, Waiting On A Woman and Opulent Yankee will be their competition.
Six of the seven are targeting the inaugural Mack Lobell Elitlopp Playoff, which is scheduled for May 8 at the Meadowlands. The winner of that Grand Circuit event will be invited to the Elitlopp raced in Solvalla, Sweden on May 29.
The ‘Queen Bee’ took a measure of both Creatine and Resolve in a 1:53.4 qualifier this past Saturday and has looked sensational in both of her morning trials. As she embarks on her fifth season of racing, trainer Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman continues to marvel at the depth of Bee A Magician’s talents. Along with owners Dave McDuffee, Mel Hartman and Herb Liverman, Norman is looking forward to what she may accomplish this season. Brian Sears is scheduled to drive.
In regard to the Bee A Magiaican’s 1:53.4 qualifying victory this past Saturday, Creatine had led until the end of the mile (Bee A Magician defeated him by a half length). Resolve held on for third place in the qualifier.
Shake It Cerry made her 2016 pari-mutuel debut last weekend in an Open Handicap at the Big M. She closed hard with a :26.1 final quarter mile. She was beaten by a length and a half in the contest. It was the mighty JL Cruze that posted the win in the 1:52.2 mile.
Gural Hanover and Opulent Yankee will be coupled for wagering purposes in Friday’s race, and both are solid performers that are working into their five-year-old campaigns. Waiting On A Woman (who is ineligible for the Elitlopp Playoff) trotted home in a sneaky :26.2 following Shake It Cerry’s cover last week.
The Mare Open Pace will mark the 2016 Meadowlands debut of Divine Caroline, who won a Dan Patch Award in the U.S. last season and the country’s three-year-old filly pacer of the year. Divine Caroline and her entrymate, Bettor Be Steppin, combined to earn over $1 million for common owners Val’D Or Farm, Ted Gewertz and Rojan Stables (Michael Ouriel is a partner on only Divine Caroline) and trainer Joe Holloway.
The competition in the Mare Open Pace should be stiff. The competition will be led by Sandbetweenurtoes, Katie Said and Table Talk, who all had a national presence in the older pacing mare division last year. The gritty Request For Parole and the improving Lovineveryminute will round out the competition.
The supporting card is strong and the wagering opportunities many on Friday evening. The lure of the Jackpot Super Hi-5 carryover is at $184,704 to open the weekend and the standard menu of horizontal wager guarantees continue.
The Meadowlands will roll back the concession prices on Friday. The track will offer $1 hot dogs and $2 beers. The track will also continue to sign interested patrons up for a dream trip to the May 7 Kentucky Derby.
The Friday card will kick off with a first-race post time of 7:15 p.m.
(With files from the Meadowlands)