Meadowlands: Pierce looking for world record, Pace win

Luck and a good horse accompanied Ron Pierce to the winner’s circle in last year’s Breeders Crown. On Saturday, Pierce and Luck Be Withyou hope for the same in the $776,000 Meadowlands Pace, race nine on the 13-race program with an early 6:30 p.m. post time.

“He was much better last week,” said Pierce of Luck Be Withyou’s third place finish in one of two Meadowlands Pace eliminations. “Chris (trainer Oakes) only had him for a few days before I raced him at Pocono. We’re going to make a couple of changes this week and he should be even better.”

Luck Be Withyou, a son of Western Ideal, won five of 11 starts as a freshman including the aforementioned Breeders Crown, but this year as a three-year-old he’s started slow with just one victory in five starts.

[DRF HARNESS: Watch the Meadowlands Pace and a stakes-filled card on DRF!]

“He wasn’t ready for the miles he needed to go in the North America Cup,” said Pierce, who believes the horse is more than ready to take on nine rivals in the prestigious Meadowlands Pace.

Pierce will be in search of his fifth Meadowlands Pace victory. He’s won three of the last six events including Art Official’s record-setting 1:47 mile in 2008.

“He’s a fast colt with a lot of stamina. I think he’ll be heard from,” said Pierce, speaking of the Meadowlands Pace and the rest of the three-year-old pacing colt season.

Pierce is most definitely looking forward to driving Sweet Lou in the $463,300 William Haughton Memorial.

“He’s a warhorse. I was concerned how he would come out of the Franklin at Pocono but I talked to Ronnie (trainer Burke) after the race and he said he came out of that race great. I’m looking forward to the Haughton,” Pierce said.

Sweet Lou has won all five of his starts since Pierce was put in the sulky. The five-year-old landed post three in the 10-horse grouping carded as race eight on Saturday’s stakes-filled program.

As for a potential record setting mile for Sweet Lou against the likes of Captaintreacherous and stablemates Bettor’s Edge and Foiled Again, “Oh I definitely believe he can break the world record,” said Pierce.