Last year's Meadowlands Pace winner, Art Official, put in his second qualifying start of his aged campaign for trainer Joe Seekman on Friday at Hoosier Park
.
Art Official, who suffered a torn muscle at the end of his impressive sophomore season, returned to the track this morning and paced his way to a 1:56.4 score. With Travis Seekman at the lines, the four-year-old son of Art Major put up the first quarter in :27.3 before giving way to Mai Tai Guy (Rick Shaut) through the middle panels of :59.4. and 1:30. The bay then pulled the pocket and kicked home in :26.3 for the three and a half length win.
Owned by Sawgrass Farms LLC of Lockport, Illinois, Art Official has put together a record reading 13-7-8 in 35 career starts earning over $1.6 million. The bay scored all 13 of those wins last year earning the bulk of his bankroll in the Meadowlands Pace, where he took his mark of 1:47 winning over Somebeachsomewhere, the Hoosier Cup, Cane Pace and divisions of the Bluegrass and Tattersalls stakes.