The equine stars of harness racing are slowly returning to the track and one of the brightest will be at The Meadowlands on Saturday night in the first of two $50,000 legs of the Graduate Trot for 4-year-olds. Ariana G, a two-time champion with titles as a 2 and 3-year-old, makes her 2018 debut in the fifth race with regular driver Yannick Gingras in the bike for trainer Jimmy Takter and owners Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld. A career winner of 21 races in 26 starts and $1,867,657, the daughter of Muscle Hill-Cantab It All comes into Saturday’s contest off a pair of winning qualifiers in 1:53 3/5 and 1:53 2/5. “She was great the first week. She was loaded finishing and had plenty of trot,” said Gingras about the first qualifying effort. “The second week she was a little bit lazy. She was good in the stretch when I called on her and she won, but she still had her training shoes on and not the shoes she wears for racing. I’m sure they’ll have her normal shoes on this week and she’ll have pop-outs (ear plugs). I’m expecting a big performance from her. She’s ready; no doubt.” While Ariana G’s credentials speak for itself, she will be tackling male competition in the Graduate. Two of her three defeats in 2017 came against the boys as she posted a 3-1-1-1 record versus her male peers. Despite the mixed success, Gingras is going into the race with plenty of confidence. “I think it was the plan all along to start her up in here. It is the boys but I’m not afraid of any of them. Whether she is in this division or the other one, I think she is still the favorite. I’d rather race her against 4-year-old boys than against Hannelore Hanover in her first start,” said Gingras. “Nothing is going to be easy. It is a transition year, but I think she’ll be up to the task.” Ariana G (post 5) was indeed installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite versus a field that contains a pair of $450,000-plus earners in 2017. Yes Mickey’s (post 4) major win came in the Zweig at Vernon where he defeated Ariana G. Trainer Ake Svanstedt is scheduled to be in the bike. Bill’s Man, the Matron winner at Dover last year, goes behind the gate from post 2 with Joe Bongiorno at the helm. The second division of the Graduate, race 7 on the 10-race program, marks the return of Goodtimes, Bluegrass and Simcoe winner International Moni. He starts from post 5 with Yannick Gingras listed to drive. As the regular driver for both Ariana G and Hannelore Hanover, Gingras could have a decision down the road when the two ultimately meet. When that will occur is anybody’s guess and Gingras is trying to avoid thinking about it. “I have no idea,” said Gingras when asked when they might meet. “I’m not asking any questions. Of course there is the Armbro Flight coming up at the beginning of June that they are both eligible to, but there is a leg of the Graduate that week, so I have no idea what Jimmy’s (Takter) plans are with Ariana. I haven’t talked to Ronnie (Burke), but I assume Hannelore will go to the Armbro Flight because she has nothing else.” For now all that matters is the Graduate as the rest will work itself out eventually. Post time for the Meadowlands Saturday program is 7:15 p.m. and entries can be found here.