Meadowlands: Harris brings 11-head to the track this weekend

Trainer Andrew Harris finished 2019 on a roll at The Meadowlands and hopes to continue that momentum into the New Year as he sends out 11 horses over the weekend programs at the East Rutherford oval looking for more trips to the winner’s circle.

Harris, with 60 standardbreds under his care, has plenty of horses for the entry box and fortunately The Meadowlands is able to accommodate most, with Winning American and Deplorable Tom both racing for Harris in Friday’s fourth race, a trotting event for non-winners of four races.

“I freshened him up and I expect him to be good,” said Harris of Winning American (post 7 in the field). As for Deplorable Tom, who won in this class to close out 2019, the trainer was a bit more amped up. “He’s been a hard horse to rig,” said Harris. “First he was running out and then he was running in. I think we’ve got him where he’s going straight.”

With but 20 career starts, the 4-year-old has potential. “I think if he keeps going straight he’s got a nice future,” said Harris of Deplorable Tom, a son of Credit Winner.

Pappy Go Go returned with a vengeance last week scoring in 1:52 against mid-priced conditioned company at The Meadowlands. He’ll move into a higher class in Friday’s seventh race. “I don’t think he’ll have a problem,” Harris said. “I think he’s just as good in the winter as he is in the summer, and that’s Open company.” The trainer added that Pappy Go Go (post 1) won with earplugs still in last week.

Rockin The Boys A ships from Dover to The Meadowlands for the evening’s eighth race. “It’s a drop in class for her and she’ll definitely like the long stretch,” said Harris.

Though Smokee Mirrors (post 8) drew outside in the ninth-race conditioned trot, his trainer remains positive. “He’s surprised me,” said Harris. “He keeps getting better.”

Harris is once again on the outside with the recent claim Very Very Fast in another conditioned trot, race 11. “Where are you going to be able to buy a horse that trots in 1:53 for $30,000?” said Harris, who will send out the French-bred for the first time Friday.

The much sought-after Shoreview is now comfortably back in Harris’ stable after a series of claims and the trainer couldn’t be happier. “He’s got impeccable gate speed and is great for Yonkers,” said Harris, who has Shoreview in for a $75,000 tag looking to repeat in Saturday’s $25,000 second race at The Meadowlands.

JK Will Power returns to Harris’ stable for the fourth race on Saturday. “He’s an old war horse that’s a little lazy but has speed. I think Jason (Bartlett) will get along well with him,” said Harris.

A drop in class could prove advantageous for Bell I No in race 11 as the trainer hopes for luck to be on his side this time. “The first week I had him back I didn’t have him rigged right and he couldn’t steer inside,” said Harris. “Last week he just got parked out.”

Bell I No drew post two and should feel right at home in the non-winners of $10,000 class.

Rock The Nite, a winner in excess of $100K in 2019, returns to the big track on Saturday (race 12) and appears primed. “The class drop should be great for him,” said Harris. Rock The Nite finished fifth in his last outing at Freehold but was never in the hunt in the $15,000 Invitational Handicap on December 21.

Harris expects another honest effort from the veteran Steve Said in Saturday’s nitecap. Steve Said landed post three and enters the contest having finished on the board in three of his last four starts.

Harris, who finished 2019 with career highs in victories (157) and earnings ($3.131,655), is looking to get his stable off to a quick start this winter. None Bettor A has Harris quite optimistic with his expected return for the newly christened MGM/Borgata series at Yonkers. “I just started back with him last week,” said Harris of None Bettor A. “I think he’ll have a great opportunity this year in the Free-For-All’s with a lot of the top horses retiring. We’ll stake him up better.”