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East Rutherford, NJ – The harness racing stakes season starts to roll this weekend, as eight of the horses in the Week 2 edition of Dave Little’s “Road to The Meadowlands Pace” will be in action. Seven of those eight — including top-ranked Perfect Sting — will be at Pocono Downs on Sunday
| Rank | Horse
(Earnings – Mark) |
Driver, Trainer
Owner(s) |
Dave Little’s Comments |
1 |
Perfect Sting($534,300 – 1:49.2) |
D. Miller, J. HollowayBrittany Farms,Val D’Or Farms |
The wait is over. Perfect Sting’s 2021 debut is set for Sunday at Pocono, where he will depart from post 5 in race 9 in a division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes. Holloway: “We have to start someplace. We’re ready to go. He’ll get next week off and then we’ll see where we are.”
LAST RACE: 4/30 – M1 – Qualifier – 1st (1:52.3) |
2 |
Southwind Gendry($621,633 – 1:49.4) |
Y. Gingras, R. BurkeBurke Racing, Phillip Collura,Knox Services, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby |
After an impressive 2021 debut, the son of Always B Miki makes start No. 2 in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Sunday at Pocono, leaving from post 6 in the 10th race. Burke: “Everything seems good with him. There are good horses in there [on Sunday], he just has to stay away from getting into a speed duel with a horse trying to prove a point.”
Last Race: 5/1 – Mea – Pennsylvania Sire Stakes – 1st (1:49.4) |
3 |
Summa Cum Laude($488,445 – 1:50.2) |
D. Dunn, R. BurkeBurke Racing, Phillip Collura,J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby,Weaver Bruscemi |
Will go up against Perfect Sting Sunday at Pocono, having drawn post 7. How has he been since his fourth-place finish? Burke: “He was much sharper training [Tuesday]. I think he’ll start coming back to form this Sunday.”
Last Race: 5/1 – Mea – Pennsylvania Sire Stakes – 4th (1:50.3) |
4 |
Exploit($391,630 – 1:50.4) |
T. McCarthy, T. AlagnaLeBlanc and Kribbs,Joe Sbrocco, In The Gym Partners,Joseph Barbera |
Was a good-looking, fast-closing third in 3YO debut last Saturday and is right back in Sunday at Pocono in the PaSS. He’s drawn Post 5 in race 8. Alagna: “You can say what you want about his 2020 season [where a majority of his earnings came in the Metro in an upset]. I thought he was very good in his first start last week. With the postponement of the North America Cup, it makes it easier to race these horses in back-to-back weeks.”
Last Race: 5/8 – M1 – winners of 2 non-winners of 5 – 3rd (1:49.4) |
5 |
Charlie May($340,127 – 1:50.2) |
B. Miller, S. CarterDon Tiger |
Ohio Sire Stakes champion won 7 of 9 starts a year ago and took his last two outings at odds of 1-20. Already has two qualifiers and three parimutuel races under his belt this year. Carter: “We turned him out for 10 days because we wanted to give him a rest. He’ll be back training Monday and we’ll start preparing for the next Sire Stakes races in the first part of June.”Last Race: 5/3 – MVR – Ohio Sire Stakes – 4th (1:52.3) |
6 |
Bayfield Beach($272,376 – 1:52.1) |
D. Miller, B. BrownCrossover Racing,Country Club Acres,Rich Lombardo Racing, Joe Sbrocco |
Went parked to the quarter in :26.3 before blasting down the road in 1:52.1 at The Meadows. Like 6 others in the Top 10, will be at Pocono Sunday, where he’s drawn post 6 in race 12 in a division of The Stallion Stakes. Brown: “He raced OK [Friday]. I still wouldn’t say I was happy with him. I made a little bridle change and he trained much better [Wednesday]. He doesn’t have to win Sunday. I just want him to race well.”
Last Race: 5/7 – Mea – Non-winners of 3 – 1st (1:52.1) |
7 |
Lawless Shadow($239,439 – Q1:51) |
B. McClure, I. MooreIan Moore, R G McGroup,Serge Savard, Frank Cannon |
Sparkled in his seasonal debut, scoring from the pocket in 1:51.1 at Scioto. Will race Saturday at Scioto in a conditioned event in race 6 from post 7. Moore: “It might have been only a non-winners of 6 [on Saturday] but that’s OK. He’s an Ontario Sire Stakes horse so there’s nowhere else to race him. It looks like we’ll head to The Meadowlands in June.”
Last Race: 5/8 – ScD – Non-winners of 6 – 1st (1:51.1) |
8 |
Heart Of Chewbacca($269,348 – 1:51) |
D. Noble, R. BurkeDennis Owens, Norman Rae Racing |
Ohio standout has won three in a row at Miami Valley, the most recent by 7¼ lengths at odds of 1-20. When will we see him locally? Burke: “He’s turned out because I didn’t think I had any races for him. Now, I might bring him to The Meadowlands in two or three weeks since they are offering those extra opportunities for 3-year-olds.”
Last Race: 5/3 – MVR – Ohio Sire Stakes – 1st (1:51.2) |
9 |
Abuckabett Hanover($171,335 – 1:49.1) |
A. McCarthy, T. AlagnaCrawford Farms Racing,Alagna Racing, Jablonsky HeldStable, Barbera N Wienick Stable |
Cracked the top 10 after working out a perfect cover trip on the way to an easy victory in his seasonal debut in a lifetime-best 1:49.1 and will take on Perfect Sting on Sunday at Pocono from post 2. Alagna: “A lot of things did not work his way last year, but you don’t go off at 1-9 in The Metro without back class and an impressive resume. [Last week] He really impressed me, but, at the same time, did not surprise me.”Last Race: 5/8 – M1 – winners of 2 non-winners of 5 – 1st (1:49.1) |
10 |
Always A Miki($331,261 – 1:50.2) |
D. Dunn, N. TakterChristina Takter, Goran Anderberg,Herb Liverman, Rojan Stables |
Finished 8th in his first outing of the year after leaving from post 9 in a division of the Pennsylvania All-Stars. He’s back in Sunday at Pocono in a division of The Stallion Stakes (race 11, post 7). Takter: “I knew that he would be a little pace compromised from that post and i didn’t think he would be at his best because he had been a little sick. I dropped him into The Stallion Series this week for a little confidence.”
Last Race: 5/8 – PcD – Pennsylvania All-Stars – 8th (1:51.4) |
KEY PREP RACES
MEADOWLANDS PACE ELIGIBLES IN CAPS – Supplements are permitted per the conditions of the race
| Date | Stakes | Site | Winner | Trainer | Driver | 2nd Horse | 3rd Horse | Time |
| 5/1 | Pa. Sire Stakes
Pa. Sire Stakes |
Mea Mea |
LITERL LAD HANOVER
SOUTHWIND GENDRY |
R. Burke
R. Burke |
D. Miller
Y. Gingras |
STONEBRIDGE REEF
CHASE H HANOVER |
Water Sports Teen
Sweet Angel Boy |
1:51.1
1:49.4 |
| 5/8
|
Pa. All-Stars
Pa. All-Stars Pa. All-Stars Pa. All-Stars |
PcD PcD PcD PcD |
HELLABALOU
Emblaze Hanover Gamblin Mo ONE EIGHT HUNDRED |
E. Dennis
R. Burke J. Butenschoen N. Takter |
A. McCarthy
J. Bongiorno T. Buter T. Tetrick |
Komodo Beach
Crunch Hanover STONEBRIDGE REEF Water Sports Teen |
Six Degrees
RED RIGHT HAND CAPTAINS PLACE Warrawee Whynot |
1:52.1
1:50.2 1:50.1 1:50.1 |
| 5/16 | Pa. Sire Stakes |
PcD |
||||||
| 5/28 | N.J. Sire Stakes | M1 | ||||||
| 5/30 | Pa. Sire Stakes | Phil | ||||||
| 6/26 | Pa. Sire Stakes |
Mea |
||||||
| 7/2 | Messenger |
YR |
||||||
| 7/17 | Meadowlands Pace |
M1 |
