Friday night's feature at The Meadowlands has an intriguing mix of trotters racing for a purse of $18,000 in the evening's seventh race.
Oddsmaker Dave Brower has tabbed the venerable Market Share as the 2-1 choice as he makes his first start of the year over the track where he won the Hambletonian some five years ago.
The career winner of over $3.7 million still competes at a high level and has been battling Open completion at Dover Downs while winning two of eight on the season. Driver Tim Tetrick remains loyal to his Hambo winner, who will start from post three for trainer Linda Toscano and owners Richard Gutnick, TLP Stables and Bill Augustein.
The competition is led another accomplished veteran in Il Mago who has also done Dover duty lately and starts from post eight for Andy Miller. Dupree was a Grand Circuit stakes winner at two, a disappointment at three and launches his four-year-old campaign after a pair of decent qualifiers following a short break for Brett Miller. Another interesting shipper is Truemass Volo, who was a factor on the tough PASS circuit last season and is making his local debut for Jeff Gregory.
Earlier on the card, 2016 Goldsmith Maid winner and O'Brien Award finalist Magic Presto makes her three-year-old debut for trainer Richard 'Nifty' Norman and owners Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman, David Mc Duffee, and Little E LLC. Brett Miller will drive the Ontario-Sired sophomore from Post 5 in the evening's second race.
Friday kicks off Kentucky Derby weekend; be reminded that the gates will open at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and there are contests a-plenty and dining delights to behad on racing's greatest day.
First race post time is 7:15 p.m. for Friday's 10-race card. To view entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Meadowlands.
(with files from The Meadowlands)