MEADOWLANDS PACE WEEK THIS WEEK!
THIS MEANS, HANRNESS FEVER RAGES ON!
HAPPY THE MEADOWLANDS PACE WEEK EVERYBODY!
First of all, this past weekend we got to see a Hambletonian prep race featuring Emoticon Legacy and Maryland, when the two went at each other in last Saturday's Zweig Stakes (July 3, 2025) at Vernon Downs (NY).
As a matter of fact, the whole field of the Zweig Stakes was full of Hambletonian eligible runners, and boy, it felt like a Hambletonian race when everybody was hustling and bustling from the start to the finish, battling each other every step of the way.
As always, Maryland was off evenly near the back of the seven-horse field -- second to last, to be precise -- despite starting from post position 2.
Meanwhile, Emoticon Legacy (post 5) was not quick off the gate either and he was off evenly in fifth place as four horses [Chat Room, Meshuggah, Onajetplane, Hildalgo] battling each other up front while jockeying for early position.
After an eight of a mile, Meshuggah emerged from the pack to set a fast pace.
Soon thereafter, Onajetplace rushed up to challenge Meshuggah for the lead while Emoticon Legacy didn't let Onajetplance off the hook very long when he quickly rushed up from fifth place to challenge Onajetplane for the lead approaching the half-mile pole.
Maryland (6/5 second choice), on the other hand with no early speed, was content to sit back next to last when crossing the half-mile pole.
Approaching the far turn, Emoticon Legacy (3/5 favorite) was leading almost by two lengths and was going strongly and looked like he was going to win very easy.
At the same time, approaching the far turn, Maryland found his best stride and he was moving in an eye-catching fashion, picking up horses one by one in a blink of an eye to go after Emoticon Legacy as track announcer blurted out, "there goes Maryland, flying, now fourth, now third, now second ... to challenge Emoticon Legacy...."
At the top of the stretch, I thought Maryland was going win the race, considering that he had a huge momentum with that eye-catching move.
Visually also looked like Maryland had a dead-aim at Emoticon Legacy approaching the eight-pole, but Emoticon Legacy had something left and held Maryland at bay to the wire, beating Maryland by one length while Meshuggah finished two lengths back in third.
The only missing from this race wre Super Chapter, Gap Kronos S, Go Dog Go, Mr Walner Fashion, and Mountcastle.
The missing horses will show up in their prep race(s) in the next couple of weeks.
AS FOR THIS WEEKEND -- EXCITEMENT OVER THE MEADOWLANDS PACE TURNS DISAPPOINTMENT!
Dan Patch Award-winner Louprint, the 7-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday's $656,000 Meadowlands Pace for 3-year-olds, will miss the Grade 1 event and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks following an emergency procedure Monday to remove a testicle, co-owner Mark Weaver said.
Dr. Jen Smith performed the procedure after the issue was discovered Monday morning (July 7, 2025).
"They were able to get him into surgery right away and removed the testicle without any compromise of his intestines," Weaver said.
"The best case scenario is that he would miss a few weeks, but we'll let his recovery determine the timeline. Hopefully, he will be racing in Lexington in August, but we won't force anything."
IT'S A BUMMER!
I WAS LOOKING TO PLAY HIM THIS WEEKEND!
He's the best horse in the field, and now, I have to find another horse to play.
IT'S A BUMMER!
NO DESPAIR!
I'VE GOT ONE!
Updated field for the $656,000 Meadowlands Pace
PP – HORSE – DRIVER – TRAINER – ODDS
1 – Papis Pistol – Dave Miller – Sam DePinto – 9-2
2 – Papi’s Rocket – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 20-1
3 – Knockout Round – Andy McCarthy – Tony Alagna – 25-1
4 – Prince Hal Hanover – Todd McCarthy – Dr. Ian Moore – 7-2
5 – Captain Optimistic – Dexter Dunn – Nancy Takter – 3-1
6 – Fallout – Tim Tetrick – Tony Alagna – 6-1
7 – Joel And The Jets – Louis Roy – Dr. Ian Moore – 15-1
8 – Manolete – Scott Zeron – Bruce Saunders – 12-1
9 – Madden Oaks – Braxten Boyd – Cam Capone – 5-2
Now it defaults to Madden Oaks as the 5/2 favorite from post position 9 -- NO, THANK YOU!
I'll take my chances on Fallout from post position 6 at 6-1 morning line odd.
Bet Fallout to win, place, show using double down betting strategy.
Fallout was an outstanding 2yo colt and toward the end of last year (2024) he was rank 2nd behind Maryland as the best 2yo in the country.
He fell out of favor lately and that's why he is 6-1 against this group.
So I like Fallout a lot in this race, and I think he has an excellent shot of winning the Meadowlands Pace this Saturday July 12, 2025.
HAPPY THE MEADOWLANDS PACE WEEK EVERYBODY!
ENJOY THE MEADOWLANDS PACE THIS SATURDAY EVERYBODY!
