Grand Circuit racing at The Meadowlands continues to build momentum with the first race of the season for older trotting horses, the $50,000 Arthur J Cutler Memorial Prep highlighting the Saturday, May 9 program.
The race also signals the start of the 2015 TVG FFA Championship Series which conclude with $400,000 Open and $200,000 Mare Finals in November.
The field of ten (race six) is an interesting mix with The Meadowlands winter season’s top trotter Meladys Monet coming into the race off a win in the Meadows Maturity trot, his first foray against Grand Circuit types. 2013 Horse of the Year Bee A Magician made a successful return to the races with a 1:54.4 track-record effort at Yonkers just last week, she’ll have to overcome post ten here. DWs NY Yank is the current king over at Old Hilltop where he won the last four Opens in which he competed and Wind Of The North has two Meadowlands Open wins on his résumé this season and an invite to the prestigious Elitlopp at month’s end.
The race also serves as the return of Richard Gutnick, TLP Stable and Wm. Augustine’s $3.6 million career earning trotter, Market Share. The 2012 Hambletonian winner has been a model of consistency for trainer Linda Toscano winning 25 and hitting the board 45 times in 57 career starts. He has had two qualifying preps in anticipation of the campaign and draws a comfortable spot in post four on Saturday.
It’s a solid thirteen-race card with plenty of head scratchers to solve, primarily in quest of one of two Hi 5 Jackpot wagers (race 5 & 13) where the jackpots are at $103,769 and $77,990 respectively as we head into the weekend’s live racing. Post time is 7:15 p.m.
(Meadowlands)