On Friday, the Meadowlands Racetrack will return with another weekend of live racing. Thirteen races with plenty of entries will populate both the Friday and Saturday cards, and the Friday feature is the eighth race, a ten-horse conditioned trot for a purse of $13,000.

The feature field is an interesting mix of young and old, led by grizzled veteran nine-year-old Up Front Billy, who has amassed more than $800,000 over his racing career for owner/trainer Mark Ford and partner Up Front Racing. Jim Pantaleano will drive Up Front Billy on Friday.

Explosive Ridge (PP2, Marcus Johansson) and Di Oggi (PP10, Marcus Miller) are a talented pair of four-year olds in the field.

Explosive Ridge has been away from the races since last summer and comes in off an impressive qualifying win last week. Trainer Nancy Johansson owns him with Kenneth Ross.

Do Oggi on the other hand is in razor sharp form, having set a brand new 1:54 career record in his most recent start for trainer Archie Kohr and the Whiskey Trails Stable. He’s got speed enough to shop for an early forward placement to counter his unfortunate draw.

Post time for the Friday card is 6:35 p.m.

(With files from the Meadowlands Racetrack)