Meadowlands Racetrack's racing analyst Bob 'Hollywood' Heyden has compiled a list of interesting notes heading into this evening's $500,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic at the Big M
.
Three of the last four NJ Classics are the fastest ever - the only three under 1:50.
Cams Card Shark (All Speed Hanover) goes for his record FIFTH siring victory in the NJ Classic.
Vintage Master in 2009 was the ONLY colt EVER to be runner-up in BOTH the NJ Classic and the Meadowlands Pace.
Note the 30 plus year age difference of the last two winning drivers in the Classic:
27 - Tim Tetrick - Passmaster Hanover - 2009
57 - Cat Manzi - McCedes - 2008
Six of the last nine winning drivers in the NJ Classic were past their 50th birthday (Campbell-Magee-Pierce this year all north of 50).
Campbell and Lachance are the only two drivers to win the NJ Classic back-to-back.
NO TRAINER who's won the NJ Classic in the last 13 YEARS is in THIS year's final!!! (The 1996 winning trainer, however, is - Ray Larry Remmen)
Ron Pierce has NEVER been first or second in the NJ Classic (0-15) and George Brennan, a four-time runner-up, has never won it. They have the TWO favourites this year.