Meadowlands: Fanning quartet hopes to hit the right notes this weekend

Trainer Tom Fanning will send out four horses from his stable of 27 this weekend at the Meadowlands, with hopes of finding the winner's circle at least once.

"The Meadowlands is the toughest place to win a race at," Fanning said. That has hardly kept the veteran conditioner from entering horses with hopes of reaching paydirt at the East Rutherford, New Jersey, mile oval.

On Friday night, the 6-year-old No Drama Please (post two) races six rivals in a conditioned event for non-winners of $10,500 in their last five starts (race six).

"He wasn't very good in the first qualifier," said Fanning, referring to a break in stride on February 19 at the Meadowlands. "He was better last time."

No Drama Please captured his March 4 qualifier in 1:56 1/5, and his trainer feels he's heading in the right direction.

"He just needed a rest both physically and mentally," said Fanning of No Drama Please, a 16-time career winner that last raced on December 4 at the Meadowlands before his brief vacation.

As for his chances on Friday night, Fanning suggested the son of Trixton may need a start, especially given the condition of some of his rivals. Still, bettors should respect the class No Drama Please brings to the event as a career earner of over $363K.

Vinny De Vie has been a bit of an underachiever since joining the Fanning stable two years ago, but perhaps Friday's seventh race could give the son of Muscle Hill an opportunity to find the winner's circle.

"It's been tough with him," said Fanning. "Every time we think we have him figured out he just doesn't follow it up the next start."

That said, Vinny De Vie (post six) was in against some tough horses in his last start and trotted evenly to the finish, earning a check. Friday's field finds Vinny De Vie dropping significantly into a non-winners of $4,500 last five class.

Fanning is hoping for a bounce-back effort from the 4-year-old pacing mare Doubleoffthewall in Friday's 13th race finale.

"That mile stretch is a bit too much for her," said Fanning, suggesting that Doubleoffthewall did not benefit last Friday night (March 4) when driver Corey Callahan pulled her from the pocket on the final turn.

The sixth-place finish, nearly 13 lengths off the winner, was a disappointment for certain, but Fanning believes his mare can bounce back.

"I thought about maybe sending her to Pocono or Dover," said Fanning, "But Corey thought we should give her another shot."

Doubleoffthewall drew post four in a basement-level event for pacing mares and has indicated in the past that she's a better caliber horse than most of these.

"She's much better following horses," said Fanning, suggesting perhaps a kinder trip could make a huge difference this time around.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

A stable favorite for some time, the 10-year-old Betting Exchange is still getting the job done, as he makes his 160th career start on Saturday night in the third race.

"He finished third in the North America Cup," Fanning said, looking back at the 2015 event where the son of Bettor's Delight trailed just Wakizashi Hanover and Wiggle It Jiggleit across the wire in the year's richest event.

While Fanning does believe Betting Exchange may be better suited for the half-mile track (he did capture the New York Sire Stakes championship as a 3-year-old at Yonkers), he also feels with the right trip he can handle the big track.

"I thought he was very good two starts back chasing a pretty good horse," said Fanning of the second-place finish on February 26 at the Meadowlands. "Last week (March 5), the trip just didn't work out for him, but he had pace finishing."

A winner just once in seven tries this year, Betting Exchange drew post six in a field that includes another veteran warhorse with nearly $800K bankrolled in Rockeyed Optimist (post five).

The Fanning stable has done quite well in recent years with young trotters developing and racing well over the half-mile track and beyond. The trainer is hopeful a recent addition to his stable may be the next in line in the sophomore ranks.

"I'm pleased the way Torrone is training back," said Fanning of the 3-year-old son of Father Patrick that was purchased by long-time owner Joe Smith at Harrisburg last fall.

The now-gelded sophomore took a mark of 1:56 as a 2-year-old but never quite reached the stakes potential he indicated.

"We saw the horse baby-race last year at Gaitway (where Fanning trains) and liked him," said Fanning.

In 2015 Smith purchased the 3-year-old Fashion Creditor, and the son of Credit Winner has gone on to earn over $800K for him and the Fanning stable. Perhaps lightning will strike twice.