Meadowlands: Graduate Series prelims conclude

Louis Roy is always among the leading drivers at his home track of Woodbine Mohawk Park, and the 35-year-old pilot showed he can win races at the Meadowlands as well Saturday night, taking both Graduate Series leg three dashes for 4-year-olds.

Roy scored with Private Access in the division for trotters and with Nijinsky in the pace. Both events went for $75,000. The $250,000 (est.) Graduate Series finals take place on Saturday, July 5 on Meadowlands Pace eliminations night.

"He's almost a different animal," said Roy after Private Access earned a hard-fought 1:50 2/5 victory, lowering his previous lifetime-best by 1 4/5 seconds. "He's always showed a lot of talent, but now he's so great and feeling confident."

After a 3-year-old season that saw him win just one of 14 starts, the son of Muscle Hill-Open Access is perfect in three 2025 outings, all in the Graduate Series.

Private Access was reserved early, sitting fifth to the quarter before getting into a live flow. When 5-2 favorite Gruesome Twosome couldn't quite clear leader Sir Pinocchio, Roy moved Private Access three-wide to go for the front and cleared the lead before the five-eighths.

"I would have gone first-up if I didn't get there," said Roy. "I had to use mine hard."

Out of the far turn, Sir Pinocchio was back for more after three-quarters was reached in 1:23, and after Private Access put that foe away, Roy had more than enough horsepower left to hold off a late explosive close from second-place finisher Elista Hanover, who missed by a half-length. Date Night Hanover was third.

"He proved he's the greatest at this moment," said Roy of Private Access, who's now six-for-25 lifetime. "Congrats to [winning trainer] Luc [Blais] and his team."

Private Access returned $7.40 to win as the 27-10 second choice while lifting his career earnings to $468,106 for owners Determination. "I feel like mine raced his heart out," said Roy. "I'm just excited to be sitting behind Private Access at the moment given how sharp he is."

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But Roy wasn't done yet.

In an absolute thriller that sets up what figures to be a phenomenal final, Nijinsky held off Captain Albano by the smallest of margins to take the pace in 1:48 4/5.

Roy recalled Nijinsky's second-place finish from a week ago at the hands of Brue Hanover in the Mohawk Gold Cup. "I was following Brue Hanover most of the time down the stretch, but Yannick [Gingras, driving Brue Hanover] kept the rail closed. This week, we changed it up a little bit."

Captain Albano used explosive early pace from post 10 in the bulky 12-horse field to grab the top at the quarter in 26 4/5. Roy and Nijinsky weren't going to settle for the pocket this time around, and moved to the top at the half in 55 seconds.

Sabonis, a 27-1 outsider, was now on the go first-over and gained steadily on the leader, a grind he continued all the way to the finish. Through the stretch, Nijinsky had to deal with not only Sabonis, but also Captain Albano, who found a small seam late and closed with a rush to miss by a nose. Sabonis was just a neck back in third.

"My horse is versatile," said Roy. "He can mix it up a little bit on the front. I took a shot with him on the front. I was really surprised with Dexter's [Dunn] horse [Sabonis]. He was gaining on me and I was worried. Captain Albano had the 10 hole and raced great. It's going to be a great final."

Nijinsky, the 2024 North America Cup winner who is trained by Anthony Beaton, upped his lifetime stats to 14 wins from 31 starts, good for earnings of $1,374,745 for owners West Wins Stable, J. Fielding, M. Dumain and Winbak Farm. He paid $3 as the 1-2 favorite.

SEVENTH HEAVEN: Smooth Dream (a Cattlewash-Dreamlands Latte gelding) moved to the lead before the half and held sway to the wire easily to take the $48,000 New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund final for 3-year-old colts and geldings on the pace in 1:49 3/5 by 1 1/2 lengths over Twin Fury.

The Noel Daley trainee, who was driven by Todd McCarthy, was limited to three starts during 2024 due to an ankle injury, but has come back this year with one flawless performance after another, as his 2025 numbers now read seven starts (all at the Meadowlands), seven wins, and earnings of $200,900. He returned $2.20 as the 1-9 public choice.

"He's a nice little colt," said McCarthy. "He's come a long way this year."

Please Be You (Lazarus-Cheyenne Trish) rallied out of fourth in the stretch to win the companion final for fillies by a nose in 1:50 3/5 for driver Scott Zeron, trainer Linda Toscano and owner/breeder G.R.J. Partners LLC.

A LITTLE MORE: Meadowlands Pace hopeful Fallout (Captaintreacherous-Aria Hanover) got into the win column for the first time in four 2025 starts with a 1:49 1/5 score over a fast-closing Lou Grant, who was seeking his fourth straight score. Fallout was driven by Tim Tetrick and is trained by Tony Alagna. He paid $4 as the even-money second choice. Lou Grant was the 3-5 public choice in the $17,500 overnight pace. Jason Bartlett led the drivers with three wins on the program. Shaun Vallee's two victories topped the trainer colony. All-source handle on the 14-race card totaled $2,923,580. Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m.

--press release (Meadowlands)--