Meadowlands: Zeron goes for a 'Sweet 16' this weekend

Scott Zeron had his best year in the last five in 2021 with his mounts earning $8.57 million and the catch-driver winning 246 races. Now with a schedule that finds him firmly planted at Yonkers on Monday through Thursday, Zeron has committed to racing at the Meadowlands on weekends and enters this Friday and Saturday night's action with some decent contenders, if not favorites, among his 16 drives.

In Friday's fifth race Zeron will handle Captain My Captain (post three) in a non-winners of two races lifetime condition.

"He's been very good," said Zeron of the 4-year-old by Captaintreacherous. "I've just got to keep him off of the front-end."

Captain My Captain finished fourth while too far back to threaten in his last start on Feb. 11 in this class but paced a solid back-half in the process.

Beantown Madness faces an abbreviated field of seven in Friday's sixth race at the Meadowlands, and his driver was happy with the inside draw (post three).

"He's a stone-cold closer," Zeron said of the 4-year-old from the Andrew Harris stable. Beantown Madness is winless in four starts this year but gets class relief on Friday.

The 5-year-old mare Man Dontforget Me earned $151K as a 4-year-old and returns from a layoff in Friday's 10th race, a TrackMaster rating of 86.75 event for fillies and mares.

"She really raced well in the qualifier," said Zeron, referring to the 1:53 flat clocking at the Meadowlands on February 12. "She's a very nice horse."

Man Dontforget Me faces a very solid group of mares, including Breeders Crown entrant Keep Rockin A (post two), a 6-year-old making her first start of the year after a 1:52 1/5 victory in the same qualifier as Man Dontforget Me.

Zeron chose to save ground on the inside with Tango Dancer N when the veteran mare returned to the Meadowlands for a February 11 contest.

"She was really good finishing, and had I gotten room sooner, I may have been much closer," Zeron said. Tango Dancer N (post six) will have to contend with Lady Lou (post one) in Friday's 11th contest, classified as a TrackMaster 82.5 rating.

On Saturday night, Zeron sounded enthusiastic about Pantheon Hanover's chances in the third race. "He was super-good last week," Zeron said.

The 10-year-old made up a ton of ground, closing for fifth against this class on February 12.

The prospects are good but not great for Odds On Delray, Zeron's choice in Saturday's fifth race.

"He's been very good. I'll try to work him out a nice trip," said Zeron. "He runs out a little in the stretch, so I'll keep him on the outside."

Odds On Delray was a solid second behind the runaway De Los Cielos Deo in a high-priced claiming handicap on February 12. "He's dropping down as well," said Zeron.

Nutcracker Sweet takes a step up in class with Zeron at the helm in Saturday's sixth race. A winner on the front-end in a blowout effort for Zeron on February 5 at the Meadowlands, the driver was not surprised with the 1:50 2/5 performance.

"He's notoriously good on the front-end when allowed to cut the pace," said Zeron. "It was a salty pace, but he's ok with that."

Nutcracker Sweet (post three) faces a more challenging field that may make it a bit more difficult for Zeron to dictate the pace this time around. Walknafter Midnite (post two) and Groovy Joe (post seven) have the class to contend at this level.

No Lou Zing drew post six in Saturday's eighth race, and Zeron feels the 5-year-old by Sweet Lou fits well at this level.

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"I was satisfied to give up the lead last week because that was a very sharp horse I was following," said Zeron of his strategy in the February 12 contest that saw Italian Delight N victorious. "We just didn't get room in time."

While he may need a few more starts, Bracken Storm A appears heading in the right direction with Zeron in the bike for the 10th race.

"He was very solid finishing," Zeron said of the sixth-place finish in Bracken Storm A's first start in some 14 months. It is likely Bracken Storm A will be driven from the back as he gets into top form.

Zeron expects to keep his current schedule until some of the 3-year-olds return to action.

"I can see myself going to Pocono when the Weiss begins," said Zeron of the early-April series.