Meadowlands: Pacers go to the "Max" in Tompkins-Geers

It was a good night to have Max in your name at the Meadowlands as Mad Max Hanover and Max Contract won the pair of Tompkins-Geers Stake splits for 3-year-old pacers on Saturday.

Coming off a second-place finish in the Meadowlands Pace final, Mad Max Hanover (Tim Tetrick) went on a successful speed mission in the $61,800 division for colts and geldings, leading through panels of 26 3/5, 53 4/5, and 1:21 1/5 on his way to a six length victory in 1:47 4/5. Early Action (Brian Sears) was no match for the winner from the pocket and ended up second, and neither was Captainryanmichael sat on the inside in the three-hole and wound up third.

Jake Leamon trains Mad Max Hanover, an Always B Miki gelding bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, for owner Marvin Rounick. This was his fourth win from 19 career starts, he lowered his mark from 1:50 3/5, and he has now earned $354,031. He paid $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favorite.

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The fillies went for a purse of $52,400, and Treacherous Dragon (Tetrick) carved out fractions of 26 2/5, 55 1/5, and 1:22 3/5 with Boudoir Hanover (Todd McCarthy) in the pocket and Max Contract (Andy Miller) in third, but gapped off the top two most of the way.

In the lane Boudoir Hanover rallied two-wide past Treacherous Dragon and set sail for home, but Max Contract was finishing fast on Boudoir Hanover's flank, and Max Contract, who was coming off a win in the Mistletoe Shalee, got up to tally by a nose in 1:49 1/5 thanks to a 26 second final quarter. Treacherous Dragon had to settle for third.

Max Contract, a Huntsville filly bred by Steve Jones, is trained by Julie Miller for owners Andy Miller Stable Inc., Steve Heimbecker, and Jean Goehlen. Max Contract has five victories from six lifetime outings, has now banked $118,600, and returned $4.40 to win as the favorite.