Meadowlands: Zeron trying to line up a good team for Fall Final Four

Scott Zeron is clearly on the comeback trail. After suffering an injury during a racing accident, Zeron had been sidelined and away from some of the sport's most important races. With an upset victory in the Breeders Crown behind Treacherous Dragon he regained the spotlight. Now, on Saturday, Zeron hopes to take another step towards a full recovery in the driving ranks, guiding 2-year-olds in elimination events for the Meadowlands Fall Final Four.

Zeron will sit behind Brace For Landing, a $155K yearling purchase that will need to finish in the top eight of 10 colts and geldings in the $20,000 Valley Victory elimination (race five) to advance to the final.

"He's been consistent," said Zeron, "while not facing the top horses."

Brace For Landing will get tested for class in the Valley Victory elimination as Breeders Crown runner-up Celebrity Bambino (post eight) has already gone much faster and enters the Valley Victory off a stunning 1:55 1/5 effort in the Garden State at the Meadowlands on November 11 over a sloppy surface. With Volume Eight and Kilmister both taking byes into the final, the field is bolstered by the presence of Purple Lord (post five), six times first or second in 11 starts this year. Purple Lord was a game second while chasing Volume Eight at a distance in the Kindergarten final at the Meadowlands on November 12.

As happens in the driving ranks, Zeron needed a bit of luck to land a top mount, and he found that in the first of two $20,000 Governor's Cup eliminations for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers (race six). He'll drive El Ray, an improving son of Captaintreacherous that he qualified on November 12 at the Meadowlands.

"That was Dexter's [Dunn] horse," said Zeron. "He's committed to drive Handlelikeaporsche."

With Dunn unable to drive two horses in the Governor's Cup, the way was paved for Zeron with El Rey.

"He's got an explosive finish," Zeron said, describing his impression of El Rey after the Tony Alagna trainee sprinted home in 25 3/5 in his qualifier.

El Rey drew post seven and will need a top-five finish to reach the final. "They've been racing him from behind and I'll probably do the same," said Zeron of potential strategy with a horse that has won four straight races.

El Rey faces Breeders Crown champion Ammo. The surprise 52-1 winner of the year's ultimate test, Ammo landed post two and makes his first start in three weeks for trainer Joe Holloway. A son of Sweet Lou, Ammo had just three starts on his resume before the Crown eliminations and now enters the Governor's Cup as the logical horse to beat.

The Ron Burke-trained Act Fast (post three) had been a major player in the Ohio Sires Stakes program prior to racing in the Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The son of Downbytheseaside was too far back to menace in the Crown but bounced back in a big way by winning the Matron at Bally's Dover on November 3 in 1:50 3/5.

Voukefalas, one of New Jersey's finest this year, appears to be heading into the Governor's Cup back in top form for trainer Mike Russo. The son of Lazurus drew post six.

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Zeron and Cultured, a 2-year-old pacing filly from the Linda Toscano stable, were both making a major comeback at the exact same time. "She was my favorite from Linda's stable from the first time I sat behind her," Zeron said, recalling the early talent the Captaintreacherous-sired filly showed in baby races and her first few starts. "Then she had a bout with sickness and Linda decided to point her for these races."

Cultured had missed close to two months of racing action when Zeron and her reunited in a division of the Kindergarten on November 5 at the Meadowlands. The pair scored a 1:53 victory, with multiple horses on the finish line and Cultured bravely holding her neck out triumphantly.

The victory catapulted Cultured into the November 12 series final where she finished third, beaten just a half-length in a 1:50 2/5 mile.

"Maybe if I was sitting third and not fourth it might have made a difference," said Zeron of the Kindergarten final where Cultured was forced to come first-over and had to try to track down the pace-setter while at the same time holding off the pocket-sitter. "I think the mile did her a world of good. She hadn't been that kind of speed, and I think it will benefit her."

Cultured landed post two in the 10 filly $20,000 Three Diamonds single elimination (race nine) and will be well inside the likely two public choices in the field, notably Vivians Dream (post nine) and Strong Poison (post 10). Vivians Dream is a seven-time winner in 11 starts this year and enters the Three Diamonds following a 1:52 3/5 wire-to-wire performance in the Matron Stakes at Bally's Dover on November 3. Strong Poison has been battling the best all year long for trainer Ron Burke, with more than $416K banked in her first season of racing. Strong Poison paced a sub-54 back half in her November 12 qualifier in preparation for the Three Diamonds.

The Fall Final Four eliminations are accompanied on the 14-race Meadowlands card by a pair of $34,500 Preferreds. Breeders Crown champions Bella Bellini and Ecurie D battle in the trot (race eight), while Crown runner-up Tattoo Artist shows up with new driver Todd McCarthy in the pace (race 10). Both races are considered preps for the TVG finals on November 26.