The Meadowlands was not particularly kind to trainer Luc Blais or trotter Wheeling N Dealin the last time they raced there. Both will be looking for a measure of redemption tonight in the $484,450 Hambletonian Maturity for four-year-old trotters.
Ontario-based Wheeling N Dealin made his last appearance at the Meadowlands last August in the $1-million Hambletonian. Trained then by Dustin Jones, he finished an nonthreatening ninth in the final behind Royalty For Life (who also will race in the Maturity) after a second-place finish in his elimination.
Blais' last Meadowlands appearance was with five-year-old trotter Intimidate in the $175,000 Cutler Memorial in May. He also finished ninth, to the formidable Sebastian K, after a brutal outside trip for driver Vincent Ginsburg.
For the Maturity, Blais has called on Ontario star Jody Jamieson to drive Wheeling N Dealin for the first time.
"You need a sure thing. A guy like Jody won't be intimidated by others," said Blais. "With a field of 14, you need to be positioned for the end of the race."
Winless in 2013 after being the dominant two-year-old of 2012, Wheeling N Dealin has a pair of victories in six starts this year since Blais took over as trainer for owner Serge Godin. The horse last raced a month ago and has since had minor surgery on his throat but Blais said he trained well and that's why he's making the trip to the Meadowlands.
"He's an honest horse and I think he'll get better," said Blais, adding "I have a good feeling about this race."
Intimidate, for his part, is a likely starter in this month's Maple Leaf Trot, despite the presence of Sebastian K.
"A 1:49 mile (by Sebastian K last weekend) is scary, but a race is a race," Blais said. "At that level, everything has to be perfect (to win)."
(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Paul Delean)