The Graduate Series for 4-year-olds is a stepping stone for the top trotters and pacers as they theoretically graduate to aged performers. Among the favorites in the pair of $250,000 events for trotters and pacers are two horses that failed to make their mark as 3-year-olds but appear on the cusp of greatness. Beads, a son of Archangel blessed with wicked speed, was at times brilliant and at other times a major disappointment for trainer Per Engblom in 2020. Ruthless Hanover, a late-developing gelding who didn't have the experience after an abbreviated 2-year-old campaign in 2019 and first got untracked towards the tail end of 2020, is the likely favorite in the pacing finale. Engblom always knew Beads had talent, but the horse would make breaks at the worst times as a sophomore. "He's matured a great deal, and he's sounder this year," said Engblom about Beads, who landed post nine in the Graduate final carded as race nine. "He's coming into the race in good form, but the outside draw is an issue. In elimination races there's not much traffic on the first turn, but it can get kind of tight in the finals." Engblom witnessed Beads score against softer foes last Saturday night in a 1:50 4/5 mile despite racing parked the opening half. "He can take air. Some people think because he was on the front-end a lot that he's a runaway, but he's not," said Engblom. Beads has won three of his first five races this year, and driver David Miller appears to be getting along with him just fine. Beads's outside draw gives a major advantage to the likely betting choice It's Academic (post three). The Ron Burke-trained stallion has won half of his 12 starts this year, including three straight Graduate preliminary scores. Yannick Gingras guides the son of Uncle Peter. Hypnotic AM, the lone mare in the field of 10, returns to mixed company after a solid third-place finish in the Joie De Vie at the Meadowlands last Saturday. The Marcus Melander-trained mare held her own against Atlanta in that event, setting her up nicely for the Graduate final. Engblom has two in the Graduate, with Sermon (post five) a longshot in with a shot. "If they mix it up he could be closing," said Engblom. The ninth race Graduate field is rather deep, with a pair of last year's top performers - Ready For Moni and Amigo Volo - drawing posts eight and 10, respectively. Play Trix On Me, second in last year's Breeders Crown and fresh off a 1:50 4/5 career-best mile on June 26, drew post four for trainer Linda Toscano. Trainer Tom Cancelliere was hardly concerned that Ruthless Hanover, a son of Somebeachsomewhere, might be entering the $250,000 Graduate pacing final after missing three weeks of racing. "He won't be short," Cancelliere promised. "We had the baby races here [Magical Acres] last Wednesday. I had Andy [McCarthy] get a trip with him after the races." Cancelliere didn't reveal how fast that training mile was, but he has supreme confidence in his horse. Ruthless Hanover drew post four and will be looking for his fourth victory in five starts this year with the aforementioned McCarthy in the bike. Though unraced as a 2-year-old in a purse event, Ruthless Hanover did take a 1:55 1/5 mark in his second qualifier in 2019. "We liked him a lot as a 2-year-old and staked him well," said Cancelliere. "He chipped an ankle, so we quit with him and gave him time to come back." Ruthless Hanover, who has shown speed and plenty of staying power this year, posted a 1:47 2/5 career-best mile on June 19 in the fourth Graduate leg. Ironically, the time was exactly the same clocking posted by another Cancelliere 4-year-old in the Graduate back in 2009. Bettor Sweet captured a Graduate leg that year but came up sick and didn't race in the final. The gelding would go on to earn $2.7 million during his career, including back-to-back Breeders Crown wins in 2011-12 for Open pacers. Any comparisons between the two? "They got their names reversed," said Cancelliere. "Bettor Sweet was a difficult horse to be around and Ruthless Hanover has a great disposition." Ruthless Hanover has already hit six figures in earnings this year and will be favored on Saturday, but there are a few in the field that may challenge his supremacy. Allywag Hanover (post one) appears to have found his form at the right time for trainer Brett Pelling and enters the Graduate final off a solid 1:49 1/5 victory last Saturday at the Meadowlands. Allywag Hanover is the only horse to defeat Ruthless Hanover this year, posting a 1:48 1/5 mile on June 5. Tim Tetrick will guide Allywag Hanover, who is HIP 42 in the upcoming Summer Mixed Sale at the Meadowlands on July 18. Captain Barbossa (post three) put in a rare subpar performance, finishing sixth in a division of the Roll With Joe last Saturday. He took a career-best 1:47 1/5 clocking in a leg of the Graduate for driver Dexter Dunn, who has the assignment again. Though winless in three starts this year, trainer Ron Burke's Cattlewash (post eight) has been right there in all of those starts. Cattlewash was the fastest in last year's 3-year-old crop with a 1:46 4/5 mark taken at The Red Mile. Burke could have a sleeper in the field as well in the recent acquisition Save Me A Dance (post two). Save Me A Dance found the winner's circle for the first time in his new stable last Sunday at Harrah's Philadelphia, scoring in 1:50 3/5. Warrawee Vital has thrice finished second in the Graduate, and he'll look to get over the hump from post five in the tenth race final. The 13-race card at The Meadowlands kicks off at 6:20 p.m. and also features eliminations for the Meadowlands Pace and four divisions of the Reynolds for 3-year-old trotters.