The Meadows: Final race for Foiled Again set for Dec. 31

Foiled Again, the richest Standardbred all time with more than $7.6 million in career earnings, will race for the final time in his incomparable career on a special New Year’s Eve card at The Meadows Racetrack & Casino. He faces mandatory retirement the next day when he turns 15. The Dec. 31 program begins at 5:30 PM.

An official retirement ceremony will take place in the winner's circle following the race, called “Foiled Again’s Last Call,” when his connections will pull his shoes for the final time. The ceremony also will feature a video of Foiled Again’s career highlights.

In addition, the action-packed program includes the finals of six Holiday Claiming Series and the “Night of Champions,” when The Meadows Horses of the Year are presented their awards. Patrons will receive New Year’s party hats and noisemakers and will be invited to participate in the holiday festivities in the casino.

The “Last Call” not only will conclude the great gelding’s career, but it also will wrap-up his spectacular “Farewell Tour,” through which his connections — The Meadows-based trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and JJK Stables — campaigned him across the continent to create special events for tracks and allow fans to see him compete one more time.

This was no mere star turn, as the son of Dragon Again-In A Safe Place has won 10 times this year with a season’s best 1:53 at Freehold, pushing his career victory total to 108.

Among Foiled Again’s many accomplishments:

• He was named Pacer of the Year in 2011 at the age of 7, becoming the only pacer older than 4 to receive that honor.
• In that 2011 campaign, he won six $100,000 events.
• He was named Best Older Male Pacer in three consecutive seasons (2011-2013); only Rambling Willie has matched that achievement.
• In 2013, at the age of 9, he won the Breeders Crown Open Pace to become the oldest horse to win a Breeders Crown event.
• This year, he’s been nominated for the Proximity Award, one of harness racing’s most prestigious accolades.

The Meadows next week will announce details of “Foiled Again’s Last Call.”

-edited release (The Meadows)