Meadowlands: Road to the 2021 Meadowlands Pace

Each week Meadowlands handicapper and TV personality Dave Little breaks down his top contenders for the 2021 Meadowlands Pace. Below is how it shakes out as of May 20.Each week Meadowlands handicapper and TV personality Dave Little breaks down his top contenders for the 2021 Meadowlands Pace. Below is how it shakes out as of May 20.

1-PERFECT STING ($547,061 -- 1:49 2/5)

Driver/Trainer: D. MILLER, J. HOLLOWAY

Owner(s): BRITTANY FARMS, VAL D'OR FARMS

Still No. 1 but his lead is tenuous after losing for the first time in his career. Closed in 26 but came up a head short in his seasonal debut as the 6-5 second choice to 3-5 favorite Abuckabett Hanover at Pocono. Tough to drop him in the poll off that kind of effort. Holloway: "I didn't like getting beat but he raced well. He had to come up the passing lane and he's not used to that. He came out of the race super and we are looking forward to racing next on the 30th [at Harrah's Philadelphia]."

2-SOUTHWIND GENDRY ($634,394 -- 1:49 4/5)

Driver/Trainer: Y. GINGRAS, R. BURKE

Owner(s): BURKE RACING, PHILLIP COLLURA, KNOX SERVICES, J&T SILVA-PURNEL & LIBBY

Hangs onto the second spot in the top 10. Failed to keep the pocket-sitting slight favorite (both were 7-5) One Eight Hundred at bay at Pocono at the wire. Like Perfect Sting, tough to drop him off a solid try. Burke: "He really wasn't that good. He tied up a little bit and he got beat but he wasn't at his best. He'll be at [Harrah's Philadelphia] next week."

3-EXPLOIT ($417,152 -- 1:50 3/5)

Driver/Trainer: T. MCCARTHY, T. ALAGNA

Owner(s): LEBLANC AND KRIBBS, JOE SBROCCO, IN THE GYM PARTNERS, JOSEPH BARBERA

Bumps up a spot from no. 4 to no. 3. Displayed a final surge nearing the wire to win at Pocono in 1:50 3/5. If he wasn't a major pace player before, he certainly is now. Alagna: "He raced great first-over and was very game. He came out of the race well and has a great work ethic. We will be at [Harrah's Philadelphia] next week."

4-ABUCKABETT HANOVER ($196,857 -- 1:49 1/5)

Driver/Trainer: A. MCCARTHY, T. ALAGNA

Owner(s): CRAWFORD FARMS RACING, ALAGNA RACING, JABLONSKY HELD STABLE, BARBERA N WIENICK STABLE

Made a big jump from No. 9 to No. 4 in the poll after his conquest of the previously unbeaten Perfect Sting. Now has won twice in impressive fashion from two starts this year. Alagna: "He raced phenomenally. He's much more of a big-track horse. He had a helluva resume heading into last year's Metro [where he finished sixth] but his year went downhill from there. He'll take this week off, then race next week at [Harrah's Philadelphia]."

5-ONE EIGHT HUNDRED ($76,820 -- 1:50 1/5)

Driver/Trainer: T. TETRICK, N. TAKTER

Owner(s): BRIXTON MEDICAL, NANCY TAKTER

Makes his debut in the poll at No. 5. During 2020, he barely made a ripple in the water, winning once from 5 starts and earning $16,798. This year has been a different story: 4 wins from 5 starts, the last two at Pocono in the PA All-stars and PA Sire stakes (beating Southwind Gendry), respectively. Has he exceeded your expectations? Takter: "He has not. We had to remove a chip from his ankle last year and had to play catch up. He didn't have enough starts last year but also doesn't have those 1:49 and 1:50 miles on his card that others do. I say they only have so many of those in them."

6-SUMMA CUM LAUDE ($488,445 -- 1:50 2/5)

Driver/Trainer: D. DUNN, R. BURKE

Owner(s): BURKE RACING, PHILLIP COLLURA, J&T SILVA-PURNEL & LIBBY, WEAVER BRUSCEMI

Drops three spots from No. 3. Made his second start of the year Sunday at Pocono and failed to impress for a second start. Burke: "I'm abandoning the 5/8ths-mile track. He just doesn't like it. He's going to get a couple of weeks off and then race at the meadowlands."

7-LAWLESS SHADOW ($246,439 -- 1:50)

Driver/Trainer: R. WRENN JR., I. MOORE

Owner(s): IAN MOORE, R G MCGROUP, SERGE SAVARD, FRANK CANNON

Hangs onto the seventh spot in the top 10. Did not have an easy time of it, getting pressed by Dojea Gizmo -- who won earlier this year at the meadowlands in 1:50 -- before powering clear in a conditioned event at Scioto, to remain perfect in two 2021 starts. Moore: "He looked reasonably impressive. I know we are not racing against the best but we are in the ballpark. He'll take the week off and then race in Ohio again."

8-CHARLIE MAY ($340,127 -- 1:50 2/5)

Driver/Trainer: B. MILLER, S. CARTER

Owner(s): DON TIGER

The Steve Carter trainee drops three spots due only to his inactivity, and it's getting close to go-time to get ready for the pace. Carter: "He is going to race in the first part of June at Scioto in a non-winners of 8. Then, we are going to go to the Ohio sire stakes a week later. I would say his pace elimination will be his first start at the Meadowlands."

9-HEART OF CHEWBACCA ($269,348 -- 1:51)

Driver/Trainer: D. NOBLE, R. BURKE

Owner(s): DENNIS OWENS, NORMAN RAE RACING

Drops a notch as we wait to see him race. Ohio standout has won three in a row at Miami Valley, the most recent by 7 1/4 lengths at odds of 1-20, but that was 17 days ago. When will we see him locally? Burke: "If he trains well this week, we'll be ready in a week or two. Next week would be perfect, but I don't know if The Meadowlands will get him a race."

10-LITERL LAD HANOVER ($145,967 -- 1:51 1/5)

Driver/Trainer: D. MILLER, R. BURKE

Owner(s): BURKE RACING, J&T SILVA-PURNEL & LIBBY, WEAVER BRUSCEMI, WINGFIELD FIVE

Makes his debut in this space as his last two starts earned him a spot in the top 10. He was a winner on May 1 at The Meadows and is off a third-place finish to Exploit. Burke: "I was a little disappointed [with his performance]. He scoped terribly, 9 out of 10, so we are treating him this week. If he's on somebody's back, he's going by if he's good. He just didn't finish it off. That's not him. He'll be at [Harrah's Philadelphia] next week."

-edited release (Dave Little for The Meadowlands)