The Meadowlands Saturday night card features three series finals and the great Foiled Again's quest to reach 100 career wins.
The ageless war-horse Foiled Again has certainly had a storybook career for trainer Ron Burke and partners Weaver Bruscemi and the JJK Stables. Now facing mandatory retirement after this season at age 14, he is the richest Standardbred in history with a career bankroll in excess of $7.6 million.
It has taken 309 starts to get there with his win total stuck on 99 since January, so after a few sub-par efforts Burke prescribed a freshening of four months leading up to tonight's return. He’ll face a field of six rivals in the fifth race from post two with Jim Pantaleano becoming the 36th driver over his 309 start career.
The $47,000 "Escort" final (race 6) pits eight three-year-old colts & geldings with the very fast but green Thinkbig Dreambig the 9-5 choice on Dave Brower's morning line in just his second career start. Sent away as the 3-5 choice in his maiden voyage last week, Thinkbig Dreambig was ranging up toward the leader in mid-stretch but doing so somewhat erratically then suffered interference in an eventual fourth-placed-third finish. Trainer Jimmy Takter will take the lines tonight for owners Brixton Medical, Fielding, Anderberg and Falk.
KJs Justine has come to hand in the Rainbow Blue series for sophomore pacing fillies and is the favourite for the $42,500 final (race 7), having swept the two preliminary legs including a 1:52.1 lifetime record last week. She races out of the Linda Toscano barn for owner Ken Jacobs and Eric Abbatiello drives tonight from post 3.
The $32,500 Hot Lead final (race 8) for older pacing horses and geldings could be a dogfight and Ballerat Boomerang comes into it off a crushing 5-3/4 length win over the field in leg two. Driver Vinnie Ginsburg put up a perfect steer last week, providing a cover trip and when tipped, the “Boomerang” took flight by the field. He’ll begin from post position 8 tonight for Nick Surick who trains for Engel Stable of Illinois and JL Benson Stable.
All of the guaranteed wagers are in place for the card and the last race Super Hi-5 Jackpot carry-over has eclipsed $236,000. First race post time is 7:15 p.m.
(with files from The Meadowlands)
I hope he gets his 100th win.
I hope he gets his 100th win.