Meadowlands: 15 out to prove themselves in Pace eliminations

This year's Meadowlands Pace drew 15 entrants set to do battle in a pair of $50,000 eliminations on Saturday night (7/9) at the East Rutherford, New Jersey, oval. There are plenty of questions, and as yet very few answers, to the identity of the likely champion to be crowned on July 16.

Perhaps unlike many years before, this year's collection of sophomores has no certified star returning from a 2-year-old campaign, nor does it have a superstar in the making from races held in this calendar year. Trainer Brian Brown thought he had a horse of that caliber when he sent Night Hawk to the North America Cup last month but with just a fifth-place check in the C$1 million contest, Brown had to rethink his position slightly.

"I really thought he could win that race," Brown said. "He just got away too far back and never had a shot. I think if David [Miller] could have had him more forwardly-placed that he could have won the race or at least been a very close second."

With North America Cup champion Pebble Beach ineligible to the Meadowlands Pace, there's a good chance Night Hawk's star can rise in New Jersey beginning this weekend.

Night Hawk landed post five in the seven-horse second division carded as race 10 on Saturday's stakes-filled Meadowlands card. A son of Betting Line, Night Hawk has won three of his six starts this year, including a 1:48 4/5 effort at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Sire Stakes action on May 30. David Miller once again has the driving assignment.

Trainer Tony Alagna entered four horses in the Meadowlands Pace and Caviart Camden (post two) and Atlas Hanover (post three) join Night Hawk in this division. Caviart Camden was a world champion by virtue of his 1:48 3/5 victory over Pebble Beach in Kentucky Sire Stakes action as a 2-year-old. One of two sons of Huntsville entered in the Meadowlands Pace, Caviart Camden was a grinding third to his stablemate I Did It Myway in a prep last week over this surface.

Atlas Hanover was on the board in half of his 2-year-old races while failing to win a race. The Captaintreacherous-sired gelding has won three of six starts this year and will need to step up his game to be among the top five in this division and head to the final.

Hammering Hank, who qualified for last Friday's (July 1) MGM Messenger Stakes final at Yonkers but elected to pass and instead point towards the Meadowlands Pace, was scratched from the tenth race elimination due to a condylar fracture of the right hind which will sideline him for several months.

Trainer Brent MacGrath is best known for his champion racehorse and sire Somebeachsomewhere and he'll be sending one of the last horses sired by that champion - Beach Glass - as the logical choice in the first $50,000 elimination (race six). Beach Glass hopes to win one of the rare races his sire did not capture during an incredible sophomore season back in 2008 - the Meadowlands Pace. A solid second behind Pebble Beach in the North America Cup, Beach Glass makes his first start since the June 18 contest this Saturday.

Yannick Gingras guides Beach Glass, a winner in four of his eight career starts, from post five and will meet up with three other North America Cup finalists, including Frozen Hanover, also a lightly-raced son of Somebeachsomewhere that has emerged this year for trainer Luc Blais. Frozen Hanover scored in 1:50, a career-best, while beating non-winners of two company on July 2 at the Meadowlands and hopes to find a spot in the final from post two this Saturday.

Alagna's I Did It Myway got roughed up in the North America Cup final, challenging eventual winner Pebble Beach without cover before faltering. The Captaintreacherous-sired colt bounced back nicely with a career-best 1:48 1/5 victory on July 2 at the Meadowlands and enters the big dance primed for a big effort with Andrew McCarthy in the bike. I Did It Myway drew the pole position.

Trainer Dr. Ian Moore had his Lawless Shadow elevated to victory in last year's Meadowlands Pace after the disqualification of Charlie May. He's back this year with another in the last line from champion Somebeachsomewhere, a colt named Greatest Ending. Moore has an impeccable history of finding talent and getting the most out of them on the biggest stage, and Greatest Ending, a winner in all three of his starts this year, is a sleeper with a real chance.

"I wouldn't send him down unless I thought the horse was good enough to win two in a row," said Dr. Moore. "He's only raced a few starts, and he's never really been tested. When he does [get tested], maybe he won't turn out to be as good as I think he is or maybe he will."

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A winner in his sophomore debut on May 7 in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action at The Meadows, Greatest Ending missed a few major stakes events in Ontario due to a foot problem that has been resolved and prepped smartly for this race with a 1:50 3/5 career-best win at Woodbine Mohawk Park on June 25. Mark MacDonald, who drove Lawless Shadow for Moore in last year's Meadowlands Pace, has the assignment behind Greatest Ending.

Just the top five in each of the Meadowlands Pace division reach the rich July 16 final.

The Pace eliminations are part of a 13-race program that includes four Graduate finals for 4-year-olds. Horse of the Year Test Of Faith, Hambletonian Oaks winner Bella Bellini, and the newest co-fastest Standardbred in history, Bulldog Hanover (1:46), top the entrants.

Post time for Saturday is 6:20 p.m. EDT.

MEADOWLANDS PACE 1ST ELIMINATION - RACE 6

POST HORSE DRIVER MORNING-LINE

1-I Did It Myway-A. McCarthy-7-2
2-Frozen Hanover-B. McClure-5-1
3-Nautical Hanover-T. McCarthy-10-1
4-Captain Cowboy-D. Dunn-12-1
5-Beach Glass-Y. Gingras-5-2
6-Early Action-B. Sears-8-1
7-Mad Max Hanover-T. Tetrick-8-1
8-Greatest Ending-M. MacDonald-9-2

MEADOWLANDS PACE 2nd ELIMINATION - RACE 10

POST HORSE DRIVER MORNING-LINE

1-Captainryanmichael-B. Sears-3-1
2-Caviart Camden-T. McCarthy-4-1
3-Atlas Hanover-S. Zeron-10-1
4-PJ Lou-A. Miller-15-1
5-Night Hawk-D. Miller-2-1
6-Fourever Boy-M. Wilder-8-1
7-Market Based-D. Dunn-5-1