After two very different races and a sweep of the eliminations by trainer Anthony Beaton, who do you like in the 2024 Meadowlands Pace?

Pepsi North America Cup winner Nijinsky stamped himself as the likely favourite in the $650,000 USD final this Saturday, July 13 with a determined 1:47.3 score over rival Funtime Bayama in the second of two $68,493 eliminations this past Saturday.

Nijinsky didn't see the rail until after the half, and never really had a chance to get a serious breather in his contest. After he made the lead, Funtime Bayama aggressively took aim midway on the far turn, and those two duelled past three-quarters in 1:21.1 and off the turn for home. Nijinsky stood his ground in the stretch, though, and repelled his outside challenger by three-quarters of a length in a career-best showing. Captain Albano became rough-gaited in upper stretch and finished a detached third, 3-1/2 lengths farther behind, followed by Captain Luke and Its Saturday Night.

The first elimination set up much different: Mirage Hanover had things his own way on the front end through fractions of :26.3, :55.1 and 1:22.4 before facing stout challenges in the final stanza. By virtue of a sizzling :24.4 final quarter, Legendary Hanover and James MacDonald tripped the timer in 1:48 for the first elim decision. Mirage Hanover narrowly held off Gem Quality for second, 1-1/4 lengths back. Captains Quarters and Number Cruncher completed the top five finishers.

The top five finishers from each elimination earned berths to the Meadowlands Pace. Meadowlands' rules for races with eliminations dictate that Nijinsky and Legendary Hanover will draw for posts one through six by virtue of their elimination wins; the draw will take place on Tuesday, July 9.

Who do you think will in the 2024 Meadowlands Pace? Have you say in our SC web poll.

(Standardbred Canada)