Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

At The Meadowlands This Week

For March 9-13, 2005

Sunday Afternoon
Mohammed Mali Wins Horse & Groom Final Mohammed Mali extended his winning streak to seven when he held on for a nose victory over Hurri Kane Billy G in the $99,300 Horse & Groom Final, the sixth race on Sunday afternoon at the Meadowlands. The five-year-old gelded son of Malabar Man trotted the mile in a stakes record time of 1:54.1. HZ Easy got up for third by a half-length.

David Miller moved Mohammed Mali to the lead at the half and then settled in to fend off the challenges that came from HZ Easy and the late charging Hurri Kane Billy G. The victory pushed Mohammed Mali's career earnings to $144,190 for the partnership of the D'Elegance Stable [Victor and Joseph Leonardis] of Florham Park, New Jersey; Carmen Iannacone of Lyndhurst, New Jersey and the RCE Stable [John and Lamia Guarniere] of Princeton, New Jersey. A $60,000 yearling purchase, Mohammed Mali was unraced at two, had only three disappointing starts at three and was put through the Tattersalls Sale in July of 2003 by the original ownership, which included D'Elegance. Last year the half-brother to 2001 Hambletonian winner Scarlet Knight won four of six starts. This year has reached the winner's circle in seven of eight tries. The race schedule for Mohammed Mali, who is trained by Mark Harder, includes two additional Meadowlands series, the Father Foley [April 17, April 24 and May 1] and the Hiram Woodruff [May 8, May 15 and May 22] along with two free for all stakes, the Cutler Memorial on May 21 [eliminations on May 13] and the Titan Cup on July 2 [eliminations on June 24].

Friday Night
Loyal Opposition found room up the pylons and coasted to a two and a half length victory in the $50,000 opening round of the Overbid Series, the fifth race on Friday night at the Meadowlands. The 2004 Older Pacing Mare of the Year, Loyal Opposition has now won three of five starts this year. She paced the mile in 1:51.3 Odds On Charmaine edged out Ascending for second. Loyal Opposition, trained by Ervin Miller and owned by Daniel Waxman of Ancaster, Ontario, pushed her career bankroll to $1,908,653. The Overbid continues next week with a final worth $122,000 on March 25.

“We had a perfect trip tonight and a good horse to follow in Feathery Fame,” said winning

driver George Brennan. “I didn’t have to use her too hard. I won the Milton and Lady Liberty with her last year, and if she can get trips like that this year, she can go some of those big miles again.”

In the $42,500 open trot, carded as the third race, Approved Action held off Sundown Score for a nose victory in 1:55.4 with ENS Snapshot in third. Approved Action now has two wins in two starts for owner-breeder-trainer John Grasso of Hawthorne, New York. At three he dominated the New York Sire Stakes and was runner-up in the Yonkers Trot, banking $336,381 that year. Now eight, the gelded son of Sir Taurus has a lifetime record of 30-14-7 from 91 starts and earnings of more than $700,000.

In a pair of $16,000 first round divisions of the Matt's Scooter Series, carded as the 10th and 11th races, winning efforts were turned in by American Fury and Gryffindor. The three-week series concludes with a $104,450 final on March 25. American Fury, driven by Cat Manzi and trained by Ken Rucker, scored a length and a quarter victory over Village Surfer in 1:52.4. Gryffindor, driven by Eric Ledford and trained by Noel Daley, scored a wire-to-wire tally in 1:53 flat, holding on for a neck victory over Jo Pa's Shark.

Thursday Night
Armbro Beethoven posted his first win of the year in his eighth try in the seventh race, a $15,000 condition pace for four-year-olds, on Thursday night at the Meadowlands. Armbro Beethoven, driven by David Miller and trained by Steve Elliott, paced the mile in a lifetime best of 1:52.4. Odds On Dion was second by a length and a quarter and it was two and a half lengths to Fresh Heir in third. Armbro Beethoven, owned by Gary Futterman and David Bellantonio, both of Manalapan, New Jersey, improved his lifetime record to five wins, 10 seconds and two thirds from 35 starts and earnings of $33,183.

Wednesday Night
Wilma Hall rallied from mid-pack to win the featured third race, the $60,000 Night Styles Final for pacing mares on Wednesday night at the Meadowlands. George Brennan posted his fourth winning drive in the Night Styles, having won the series final in 1997 with Cami Whitestocking, 1999 with Cameo Sahbra and 2003 with Crossfire N. Wilma Hall won by a head over Follow Your Bliss. It was three-quarters of a length to 9-5 favorite Smashingpringipisa who had taken the lead from Theresa Hall [who faded to ninth] just past the half.

"Mark [trainer Harder] made some changes this week on a hood and Murphy blind," Brennan said. "She had been running out. She had an open bridle, which was closed this week. I had to move her three-wide a little earlier than I would have liked, and she had to be good tonight because the horse in front o f us, Follow Your Bliss, had a perfect trip. She sustained her rally to the wire."

Wilma Hall, a four-year-old daughter of Blissfull Hall, paced the mile in 1:53.2, picking up her second win with four seconds and a third in nine starts this year. She races for the Sampson Street Stable of Old Forge, Pennsylvania; Deena Frost of Delray Beach, Florida and Jerry Silva of Bellmore, New York. The victory pushed her career earnings to $92,448.