Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

What Happened at The Meadowlands This Week

January 18-22, 2005

Thursday Night
Master This led at every quarter to win the third race, the first of three $18,000 second round divisions of the Clyde Hirt Series on Thursday night at the Meadowlands. Master This, with Brian Sears in the sulky, has now won both of his Clyde Hirt Series starts and has a three-race winning streak heading into the $90,000 Clyde Hirt Final on January 29.

The four-year-old son of Masterman paced the mile in 1:51.4, finishing a length ahead of Great Expense, who survived a judges' inquiry. Flight Sign was third by a length and a quarter. Master This is trained and owned by Nick Callahan of Greenwood, Delaware.

Wednesday Night
Appropriately, a trio of White Ruffles were coated with snow on Wednesday night at the Meadowlands. The three $12,500 divisions of the White Ruffles Series for four-year-old pacing mares were won by Smashingpringipisa in the sixth race, Annie Russ in the seventh and Wind Storm in the ninth.

Smashingpringipisa, driven by David Miller, paced the mile in 1:55.2, winning by a length over Forloveofthegame. Owned by her trainer, Gus Tsanakos of East Hanover, New Jersey, Smashingpringipisa has now won two straight White Ruffles legs.

Annie Russ, with Cat Manzi in the bike and trained by John Calabrese, was a half-length winner over Miss Coalie. Owned by the Calabrese Farms of North Arlington, New Jersey, Annie Russ covered the mile in 1:56.4, a lifetime best.

Wind Storm got up in the final stride, winning a photo with Pacific Illusion by a nose. The mile was timed in 1:55 flat. Driven by Jim Morrill Jr. and trained by Kelvin Harrison, Wind Storm is owned by Linda Matejceck of Englishtown, New Jersey. The $54,250 White Ruffles Final is next Wednesday night.

Tuesday Night
Genena's Jesse held on for a head victory over R Royal Belle in the second race, the first of five $12,500 divisions of the second leg of the Super Bowl Series on Tuesday night at the Meadowlands. It was a length and a half to Striking Mystery in third.

Genena's Jesse trotted the mile in 1:57.4 with Stephen Smith in the sulky for trainer John Marshall who co-owns the four-year-old gelding with Susan Marshall. Genea's Jesse also captured his first round of the Super Bowl and has now won five of his last six starts.
The $71,035 Super Bowl Final is on Tuesday, January 25, 2005.

Brent Holland Racing Strong at The Big M
This may be Brent Holland's first season in New Jersey, but he has already become one of the busier Saturday night drivers at the Meadowlands. Last Saturday he was in ten events.

"I was pretty tired by the end of the night," Holland said of last Saturday night's busy schedule. "I had a couple of pullers and the next day I was a bit sore. But I like it here very much. It's a lot nicer driving here than anywhere else. It's like driving in a dome
compared to these other places. At Balmoral, it is wide open, and when there's a 40-mph wind, you feel every bit of it. Here it is blocked more. Most other tracks are more wide open."

The 33-year-old Illinois-based Holland has two wins, a second and two thirds and earnings of $47,858 at the Meadowlands through Thursday night. Before Holland picked up Coastocoast Yankee in the third and Sledge in the ninth race, he reviewed his other six drives this Saturday night - Rock On Holmes N in the second, Johnny Be Cool in the fifth,
Corey's On Crombie in the sixth, Ohoka Saint N in the eighth, Wrist Rocket in the 11th and Jacca Rios N in the 13th. Five of the six are trained by Gary Scurlock and owned by Robert Ranquist of Palos Park, Illinois.

Meadowlands Severs Agreements With Three Outlets
The Meadowlands has suspended its simulcasting relationship with a trio of wagering outlets named in federal indictments against 17 individuals alleged to be involved in race fixing in New York. Euro-Off-Track on the Isle of Man, International Racing Group
[doing business as Holiday Beach] of Curacao and Tonkawa Bingo and Casino in Oklahoma had their simulcast agreements with the Meadowlands terminated.

"Even prior to this incident, we were reviewing our simulcast relationships with many outlets, to insure those participating in our pools are providing us with the same information and disclosure we expect from all our simulcast partners," said Meadowlands Vice President and General Manager Chris McErlean.

Clegg Stays Put at The Big M
Michigan native Nick Clegg was nearly ready to leave when he broke through and won the tenth race on Saturday night with Dominator Plus. Dominator Plus is back in this Saturday's first race and he also has Ohoka Lazer N in the last race.

"I had my bags packed and was ready to go home, all set," said Clegg. "But then
Dominator Plus won -- he was first time Lasix -- and I think I'll come back and try him again. I got him cheap, and now he just won a $50,000 claimer. This is a tough place to race. The drivers here are far superior to anywhere else. The way I run my operation, I usually own all or a piece of the ones I race. You don't see a lot of that here. I train and drive, and I don't use a blacksmith. I shoe all my own horses. That came more out of necessity than anything else. Back where I come from, the days at Sports Creek and Muskegan, either you did it yourself or it didn't get done."