Meadowlands: Melander barn out in full force for Dancer, Del Miller Memorials

Trainer Marcus Melander recognizes that time is running out and major decisions will need to be made. Perhaps that's why his 3-year-old trotters filled the entry box on Tuesday morning at the Meadowlands, providing full fields for both the Stanley Dancer and Del Miller Memorials, the last real tune-ups for the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks, respectively.

On the colt side, Air Power leads five horses in the Dancer for Melander. The son of Muscle Hill has been airborne in the homestretch this year and has moved past other high-caliber stock within the stable.

"He showed speed last year but had some aches and pains," said Melander of Air Power, who won a qualifier as a juvenile in 1:56 2/5 but lost all three races he was entered in. "We started back with him early and he's gotten stronger."

Air Power is not only stronger this year, but he's been able to showcase extreme speed in winning three of his four starts, including a victory in the $240,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes final on June 2. In that race he trotted home in 26 3/5 to earn a 1:50 4/5 speed badge.

"It was always our plan to give the New Jersey-sired horses four weeks off and get ready for the Reynolds and Dancer," said Melander.

Air Power returned in the Reynolds after a month on the sidelines, and he made a bold rally in the stretch, trotting a final quarter in 25 3/5 and finishing a solid second.

Air Power is the likely favorite in the first $138,500 Dancer division carded as race 10 on Saturday night. He will be picking up driver Dexter Dunn for the first time while starting from post two.

Oh Well has raced credibly this year, and Melander still believes the best is yet to come for last year's Mohawk Million champion.

"I think he raced well last week after missing four weeks," he explained.

Oh Well drew post seven and enters the Dancer with four second-place finishes in four starts this year and enough time to sharpen his act in advance of the Hambletonian.

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Melander's other three sophomore colts – Kilmister, Crown and Dire Straits – drew the outside posts in the 10-horse $138,500 second division carded as race 13.

All three colts were six-figure earners as juveniles but have yet to find their footing, with Kilmister and Crown racing in the New York Sire Stakes and Dire Straits in the New Jersey Sire Stakes.

"Kilmister was getting better with every start," said Melander.

The Chapter Seven-sired colt followed up a win in an Empire Breeders Classic event at Vernon on June 16 with a fifth-place finish in the Zweig on July 8.

Crown is a horse that Melander had high hopes for.

"I thought he raced very well in the Yonkers Trot elimination, and I was expecting a good performance in the final, but he made a break," Melander said. "I need to see what he can do over the big track."

Dire Straits, actually trained by Marcus's brother Mattias, has gone winless this year in four tries and is not likely to be helped with post 10 in the Dancer.

Secret Volo will get a chance to showcase her talents in the first $105,250 division of the Del Miller Memorial for sophomore trotting fillies (race three). Fresh off an impressive upset victory in the New York New York Mile at Yonkers on June 30, the Walner-sired lass drew post six in a field of seven fillies.

"She's been great," said Melander of Secret Volo. "She got a little unlucky last year drawing outside posts in some of the big races."

Even with bad luck, Secret Volo was consistently in the money and earned $179K with just one victory in a dozen juvenile starts.

Secret Volo was a strong second to Special Way in the New Jersey Sire Stakes final on June 2 and Melander feels his filly can go with the best. "I'm not sure she can beat Ake's filly [Special Way], but I'm pretty sure she can go with her," said Melander.

While Special Way is not in the Miller, Secret Volo might have to deal with one of 2022's better juvenile trotting fillies in Instagram Model. A winner just once in four tries this year, Instagram Model flashed a wicked turn of speed, closing from eighth to third against seasoned male competition in her prep for the Miller. The Chapter Seven-sired filly drew post seven.

Quick Stop (post five) was a solid winner in the Reynolds on July 1 over this track and faces tougher foes in the first Miller split.

Melander has a pair in the second $105,250 Miller division (race four), with Kayleigh S (post three) and Heaven Hanover (post seven) looking to prove one way or the other whether they belong in Hambo Oaks entry box in a few weeks.

"She's a bit bigger than her sister [Joviality S] and not as fast," said Melander of Kayeligh S, a $279K winner as a juvenile despite her lack of high speed.

"Heaven Hanover has improved a lot this year. She was racing in the [Pennsylvania] Stallion Series last year," said Melander.

Heaven Hanover has a win and a pair of seconds in three Pennsylvania Sire Stakes races this year.

"I'd like to see if she's got the speed for the big track," said Melander.

Though Special Way won't be in the Miller, trainer Ake Svanstedt has a rather good backup in Bond. A winner in 10 of her 12 lifetime starts, the Southwind Frank-sired filly landed post four in the Miller and hopes to stay unbeaten as a sophomore.

Kentucky Sire Stakes champion Mambacita brings a three-race winning streak in her return to the Meadowlands for trainer Tony Alagna. The daughter of Tactical Landing drew post two with Yannick Gingras in the bike.

The Dancer and Del Miller Memorials are part of a blockbuster 14-race card on Saturday that kicks off at 6:20 P.M. (EDT) and includes the $668,000 Meadowlands Pace.