More than $4,000 was raised to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer program during a day-night event that brought together athletes - both human and equine - on June 23 at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

A total of 168 runners sprinted across the finish line in the Meadowlands Racetrack and 95.5 WPLJ’s inaugural Stride For The Cure 5K. Frank Ayala, 43, of Jersey City, New Jersey took first place overall in the men’s division with a time of 19:44 for the distance. Lindsey McKee, 21, of Hawthorne, New Jersey topped the women’s division in 21:17. McKee, a student at Ramapo College, is the daughter of track announcer Sam McKee. In addition to their awards, Ayala and McKee each received a pair of free running shoes courtesy of Road Runner Sports of Paramus, New Jersey.

Water stations for the event were provided by North Jersey Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Institute of Clifton. Sponsors of the event also included Columbus Hospital, Precision Upper Cervical Center, Natalie’s Orchard Island Juice and FlipFlop wine and Rum. The Ladies Night post-race party included live music, prize drawings, drink specials and spa services such as foot and hand massages.

The third annual Lisa Photo Stride for the Cure was the featured event on the live harness racing card. The race was founded by Meadowlands track photographer Michael Lisa and his wife, Annette, a breast cancer survivor, of Montvale, New Jersey. Horses and drivers in the race used pink equipment that was auctioned to benefit the American Cancer Society. The equipment was donated by members of the racing community, including Kelly Ford, Kristen Bartlett and Julie Miller.

Steve Every of Pioneer Sports Inc., whose firm supplies the field paints for the National Football League, applied custom pink ribbons to the Meadowlands infield similar to those found in NFL endzones.

(Meadowlands Racetrack)