Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Berry's Creek Field Set for Saturday

April 30, 2006

Artistic Fella and driver Ron Pierce captured the first of two $25,000 Berry's Creek Elims at The Meadowlands on Saturday night. The sophomore son of Pacific Fella tripped the timer in 1:51.2 en route to his second victory of 2006 for trainer Steve Elliott. He had captured the $72,770 Suslow Final just one week prior for this team. Owned by Joseph Alborano of New Egypt, New Jersey, Artistic Fella has career earnings of $108,735.

"Leaving the gate nobody was really going out there, and I wasn't going to leave," said Pierce. "I got away about sixth. We got luck because a couple of them mixed it up [on the front], and I got live cover that took me all the way into the stretch. I tipped off [Sandro Hanover's] back, and he [Artistic Fella] closed strong. This colt is coming a long way."

"He got a perfect drive once again," said Toni Rose, assistant to trainer Steve Elliott. "He's getting into his own and getting better every week. He's much better as a closer. He didn't do too well the one time he raced on the front. We planned on racing him off the pace. I was a little nervous about the gap on the backstretch, but he closed real well in the stretch."

Taking the second Elim was Real Mean Art and driver Brian Sears in 1:51. This chestnut son of Real Artist nailed down his third seasonal victory for trainer Ken Rucker in a three-horse photo that saw him prevail by a neck over Tuffofthetoughest (Ray Schnittker ) and Cookerosa (Toby Lynch Jr).

"I was following this horse who didn't look too good to me," said Sears, who has now won a race on 35 consecutive programs at the Meadowlands. "I was afraid he was going to make a break. So I pulled a little earlier than I would have wanted to. He moved up okay. He's been racing real good that way. I think he'll be even better next week."

Real Mean Art, racing for the Panhellenic Stable Corp. of Long Island City, New York, has three wins, three seconds and three thirds in 11 starts this year and lifetime earnings of $106,121. He was second best in finals of both the Suslow and the Matt's Scooter Series at the Meadowlands.

The stage is now set for the $225,000 Berry’s Creek Pace, the first significant event of the year for three-year-old pacers, for Saturday, May 6 at The Big M. The first five finishes from each Berrys Creek elimination dash will return for the final.

$25,000 Berry's Creek Eilm The Meadowlands Results Saturday, April 29, 2006
PP Horse      Driver
5 Artistic Fella Ron Pierce
2 Sandro Hanover Brian Sears
7 Bono Bests David Miller
3 Royal Man John Campbell
6 West Bound Train Andy Miller
1 Red Stingray Yannick Gingras
4 General Bailey Cat Manzi
28.4     56.2    1:24.3   1:51.2

$25,000 Berry's Creek Eilm The Meadowlands Results Saturday, April 29, 2006
PP Horse           Driver
3 Real Mean Art Brian Sears
5 Tuffofthetoughest R Schnittker
7 Cookerosa Toby Lynch Jr
6 Alastor Hanover J Campbell
4 Cactus Creek Ron Pierce
2 Mr Thirty Two Cat Manzi
1 Manhardt Mike Lachance
:28   :55.4   1:23.1   1:51