New Jersey-based trainer Tom Fanning has always done everything he could to support The Meadowlands. The conditioner with 23-head will send out two returning horses this weekend at the East Rutherford oval with high expectations. “Griffon Hanover has come back very well,” said Fanning of the 5-year-old set to race on Saturday night in the sixth race. “He had pneumonia as a 3-year-old and we didn’t know if he was going to survive let along make it back to the races,” Fanning said. “He’s turned into something of an iron horse for us. Look, he made 39 starts last year and was just as strong at the end as he was at the outset.” Griffon Hanover drew post two in a conditioned event for non-winners of $8,500 in last 5 starts. “He was very good in his first start and I’m expecting him to improve,” Fanning said of the third-place finish against tougher company in Griffon Hanover’s seasonal debut. An altered son of Dragon Again, Griffon Hanover earned $70,981 in 2017 and has career earnings of $122,381, not bad at all for an original $15,000 yearling purchase. On Friday night Fanning will see the return of 6-year-old Fashion Creditor to the races after a brief vacation. A career winner of more than $400K, Fashion Creditor drew post three in the second race, the $20,000 Preferred Handicap. “I was much happier with the second qualifier,” Fanning noted of the 1:56 2/5 effort on March 3 at The Meadowlands. “I wanted to give him some time off towards the tail of last season but he actually kept winning races,” Fanning said, pointing to three consecutive wins at Harrah’s Philadelphia to close out a 2017 campaign that saw the gelding win on eight occasions in 27 starts. “It was actually the owner that finally called and said it’s time to give him a rest,” said Fanning, crediting Joseph Smith with shutting down Fashion Creditor. “With most of the aged horses I really don’t think they need that much time off. Maybe three weeks is enough,” Fanning said. As for Friday night’s debut, the trainer is a bit more cautious. “I think he may need a start or two,” Fanning said. Last year’s stakes winning sophomore Photobombr Hanover is nearing completion of his training between seasons and could be in to qualify in the near future. “I’ve trained him a mile in 2:01,” said Fanning. Photobombr Hanover took a mark of 1:49 last year at Mohegan Sun Pocono for Fanning but seemed to have little luck when the big money was riding. “Things just didn’t seem to work out for him,” said Fanning. “He went the (1) :49 mile the week before the Hempt eliminations. Then in the eliminations he got down to the three quarters in 1:21 and was passed by Downbytheseaside.” A week later in the Hempt consolation Photobombr Hanover got locked in. Photobombr Hanover seemed primed for a good late season run and Fanning was happy with his efforts. “He finished a good third in the Breeders Crown elimination,” Fanning said. “Then in the final he drew outside and got away last.” The son of Somebeachsomewhere managed to close for sixth in the Crown finale losing by just three lengths. “We’re going to nominate him for the Graduate and a few of the other races for 4-year-olds,” Fanning said of Photobombr Hanover. Fanning has had a knack for picking out yearlings at an efficient price level. Photobombr Hanover cost but $30,000 at the auction and the trainer came away from last year’s auctions with a pair of fillies from the late Somebeachsomewhere that were less expensive to buy but far from cheap. “I’ve got two nice fillies,” Fanning said of his freshman in training. “Thompson Hanover is a filly we paid $20,000 for and Unspoken Promise who we paid $37,000 for. “Right now they’re going well but you don’t know if they’ll stop at two minutes or 1:55,” Fanning said. On the male side, Fanning has another Somebeachsomewhere that he’s happy with right now. “Cool Your Heels is a colt that I like. He’s out of Fancy Filly and he wasn’t very big but I liked him,’ Fanning said of the $37,000 yearling purchase.