This Friday night (April 1) at the Meadowlands Racetrack, the 2015 Dan Patch Trotter of the Year and Meadowlands track record holder, JL Cruze, will make his seasonal debut in the second race, a $25,000 Open Handicap trot.
JL Cruze ascended to the mountaintop with a string of remarkable performances at The Meadowlands last year, including all of the winter series. He then held his form to win both the Graduate final and Hambletonian Maturity. He became the fastest trotter in history on a one-mile track with his 1:49.4 win in the Graduate final and collected over $660,000 on the strength of 16 wins from 21 starts in 2015 for owners Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta. Trainer Eric Ell has had him up for a pair of formful qualifiers over the course with regular driver John Campbell at the lines in anticipation of Friday’s race. JL Cruze will be a leading contender in the $150,000 (estimated) Mack Lobell Elitlopp Playoff on Sunday, May 8 at the Meadowlands.
JL Cruze is set to start from the outside Post 7 on Friday and has been listed as the morning-line choice. Crosbys Clam Bake and Opulent Yankee are some of the notable competition in the dash.
Friday is April Fool’s Day, and the Meadowlands will mark the occasion by giving away $1,000 in ‘It’s Raining Cash’ and will begin the annual countdown to awarding some lucky customer a first-rate trip to the May 7 Kentucky Derby.
For the horseplayers, all of the usual horizontal guarantees continue and the last race Jackpot Hi-5 will open at $154,428 on Friday.
Also on Friday, in conjunction with BetAmerica and the World Harness Handicapping Championship, the U.S. Trotting Association is sponsoring an online contest that will provide the top 10 finishers with a free entry ($800 value) into the $50,000 World Harness Handicapping Championship at the Meadowlands on Saturday (April 30).
(With files from the Meadowlands)