Meadowlands Pace highlights stakes-filled Saturday card

Over $2.4 million in purse money will be on the line at The Meadowlands on Saturday night as the track hosts 11 stakes events highlighted by the $656,000 Meadowlands Pace for 3-year-olds.

The 14-race card which begins at 6:20 PM (EDT) is truly a bettor’s delight with few heavy favorites and nine races with at least 10 horses. The wagering opportunities also include a $100,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 starting in race eight and a $50,000 promised Pick 4 commencing in the fourth race.

Following the scratch of morning-line favorite Louprint due to minor surgery, Madden Oaks was installed as the new early choice (5-2) in the Meadowlands Pace. The son of Huntsville finished just a head behind Louprint in the $740,000 North America Cup at Woodbine Mohawk Park and prepped nicely for Saturday with a 1:51 3/5 win in an overnight event at Tioga Downs on Sunday (July 6).

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♦ WATCH DERICK GIWNER & JAY BERGMAN DISCUSS THE MEADOWLANDS PACE

♦ WATCH MATT ROSE & DERICK GIWNER HANDICAP THE $100K GTD PICK 4

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♦ READ INSIDER SELECTIONS AND ANALYSIS FOR SATURDAY'S STAKES RACES

♦ READ DERICK GIWNER'S FULL CARD ANALYSIS FOR SATURDAY AT THE MEADOWLANDS

With Braxten Boyd in the bike for trainer Cam Capone, Madden Oaks will have to overcome post nine and a host of contenders. Captain Optimistic is the 3-1 second choice despite finishing a disappointing third in a prep race last Saturday while Prince Hal Hanover (7-2) and Papis Pistol (9-2) also rate highly on the morning line.

“[Captain Optimistic] had a bad run [in the prep] but [trainer] Nancy [Takter] is as good as anybody and she’s got a good mentor behind her as well. I’m sure they will try to correct as much as they can in a week and he’ll put out a good performance. She’s as sharp as anybody,” said Capone before taking a more confident stance about the competition in the final. “Nobody scares me, especially after the prep race the other night. I think I have the best horse. Everything just has to work out.”

The Meadowlands Pace is slated as race 11 with a post time of 10:45 PM.

Perhaps the most intriguing race is the $425,000 E.T. Gerry Jr. Hambletonian Maturity for 4-year-old trotters. Almost an even mix of male and female competitors form the oversized field of 13 that will travel the distance of 1-1/8 miles in race nine.

Private Access was tabbed as the 3-1 morning-line choice despite finishing third behind Warrawee Michelle (9-2) in last weekend’s Graduate Trot final. Elista Hanover, who split the pair for second, is the 5-1 third choice.

Three-year-old trotters on the road to the $1,000,000 Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks will get their final preps in via the Stanley Dancer and Del Miller Memorial races. The Dancer splits go as races three and four, followed by a pair of Del Miller events.

Those who are heading to the track can take advantage of a number of activities and dining options: T-shirt giveaway; dancing with live DJ; food trucks; outdoor Café picnic table dining; indoor dining at The Lounge.

Fans who can’t make it to the track can watch races five through 11 live on Fox Sports 2 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. (EDT).