The $2.7 million Meadowlands Pace program will lead a stakes-laden weekend of Grand Circuit racing at the Meadowlands Racetrack with a special 6:35 p.m. first-race post time on Saturday.
The $701,800 final of the Meadowlands Pace will see ten of the finest sophomore colts head postward. They will be lead by last week's elimination winners, Courtly Choice and Stay Hungry.
The supporting stakes pretty much all filled up to the max with the WR Haughton Memorial, Golden Girls and Mistletoe Shalee all fielding a dozen horses at the route distance at a mile and one eighth. Virtually all of the division leaders are listed among the entrants.
The Hambletonian Maturity has drawn nine and will be led by Ariana G, who is fresh off of her amazing 1:50.2 world record romp in last week's Graduate final.
The leading preps for the upcoming August 4 Hambletonian and companion Oaks stakes filled with the logical contenders.
The Stanley Dancer Memorial for colts will split at 16 and will boast both O'Brien Award winner Alarm Detector and Dan Patch Award winner Fourth Dimension. Wolfgang will front a half-dozen from Jimmy Takter's operation.
The Del Miller for fillies drew 14. The stakes will feature Manchego's return to racing against the girls. She'll face the potent duo of Phaetosive and Seviyorum. Atlanta was not eligible to the Miller.
Last but certainly not least comes the Miss Versatility, which will see 13 older trotting mares split into two divisions. The Miss Versatility will include the magnificent Hannelore Hanover, who along with the others will compete for money and points toward the final on Jug Day in Delaware.
Friday's card will feature New Jersey Sire Stakes finals – which will feature full fields of 10 in both trots – and the first leg of the Kindergarten Series for trotters.
(With files from the Meadowlands Racetrack)