A trio of upper-level conditioned paces headline the Meadowlands Racetrack’s Saturday, January 23 evening program of live racing.
Fox Racing and Darius Oshidar's Kingofthejungle will be looking to reclaim his crown after a trio of game but unsuccessful efforts in Open company. Additionally, 12 of the evening's 14 races boast full fields of 10 starters.
Kingofthejungle, a 13-time winner from the Mark Capone stable, has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favourite from Post 9 in Race 9, a $16,000 conditioned pace. After having kicked off cover to win a $25,000 Open event on December 19, the five-year-old Well Said gelding chased valiantly in his last three efforts, but was outmatched by Bushwacker on all three occasions.
Kingofthejungle has retreated back to the conditioned ranks, and Andy Miller remains in the bike. The team will square off against a pair of other Open defectors in Shooters Dream (to be driven by Yannick Gingras from Post 5), and Sweet Beach (Brett Miller, PP6), who most recently rallied from last to take third at 77-1 in last week's Open.
Also of note in the evening's top pacing event is 11-year-old veteran Real Nice, whose recent back-to-back wins pushed his career tally to 53. Scott Blackler trains the earner of over $1.3 million, and Scott Zeron remains aboard for the driving duties.
Race 9 also begins the late Pick 4, which boasts a $50,000 guaranteed pool. An earlier Pick 5 (beginning in Race 3) and Pick 4 (beginning in Race 5) combine to offer a further $55,000 in guaranteed pools.
Just one dash before the feature, Race 8 will house a full field of 10 third-level conditioned pacers that will vie for a $13,000 purse. Half of the entrants finished in the money at a similar level in their most recent race. Vice Consul N (Yannick Gingras, PP5), Dune Dude (Corey Callahan, PP6), and Jacksrluckytoo (Joe Bongiorno, PP8) are an evenly-matched top trio in the morning line, installed at 4-1, 7-2, and 5-1, respectively.
First-race post time for the card is 6:35 p.m. (ET).
(With files from the Meadowlands)