New faces and names have appeared on the slate for the Meadowlands Racetrack’s Friday (April 9) program of live racing.
One of the reasons for the new names is because the Big M’s stakes season is surely approaching.
Friday’s $25,000 Open Handicap trot is an example of the shifting landscape at the East Rutherford, NJ raceway, as only two of the seven participants in the dash raced in last week’s Open.
New to the scene is Rose Run Parker, who dominated the Indiana program as a two and three-year-old. He was lightly campaigned by Ron Burke last year at age four. So far this year at five, he has trotted three impressive sub-1:53 wins in as many starts at the Meadows. Rose Run Parker will be making his first foray into Meadowlands racing on Friday.
He’s drawn the outside Post 7 from the three spots that were available to him (via the handicap condition of the race). Rose Run Parker’s last line indicates that he doesn’t mind a little air, as it shows that he raced wide through a 55.4 half and lived to tell of it. Joe Bongiorno is scheduled to drive Friday for owners Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi.
Accomplished veteran Meladys Monet is scheduled to return to the racing wars Friday in the Big M’s Open Trot, which will mark his 2016 pari-mutuel debut. In 2015, the pride of the Balenzano family's Melady Enterprises had his best season to date. He earned $364,450 in purses on the strength of a dozen wins. John Campbell is set to drive the veteran from Post 5 for trainer Kevin McDermott on Friday.
In terms of wagering, all horizontal wager guarantees remain at the expected level and the last race Jackpot Super Hi-5 carryover currently stands at $164,848 entering the weekend.
The Meadowlands Friday card will kick off with a 7:15 p.m. first-race post time.
(With files from the Meadowlands)