Meladys Monet bounced back from a 55-length loss to capture the inaugural $62,100 The Meadows Maturity for stallions and geldings four and up Saturday at The Meadows and reclaim his spot as one of the sport’s top older trotters.
Meladys Monet was rolling along on a three-race winning streak — all in the Open Handicap at The Meadowlands — when things went awry on April 10 and John Campbell was forced to ease him.
“He’s an incredible animal; he’s a weird horse,” said Kevin McDermott, who trains the six-year-old Revenue S-Keystone Melady gelding for Melady Enterprises. “If you take him out of his program, he ties up...He could have lost by 10 lengths that night, but John is a pro. He did what was best for the horse.”
The connections withdrew Meladys Monet from consideration for an Elitlopp invitation because of the long trip. But they risked the journey to The Meadows, and all systems were go.
“We shipped him out here yesterday,” McDermott said, “and we made sure his tie-up numbers were great.”
Leaving from post four, Campbell waited for the field to settle before moving Meladys Monet to the front. He easily deflected the first-over challenge of Rose Run Parker, a four-year-old conditioned by Ron Burke, and drew off to triumph by four lengths in 1:53. Classicality rallied for second while Madewell Hanover earned show. Burke’s other contender, the 2014 New York Sires Stakes champion sophomore Gural Hanover, who was making his seasonal debut, never got involved and finished sixth.
With the victory, Meladys Money boasts $497,508 in career earnings.
The Kentucky Derby Day card also featured the Adios Betty, a $183,216 Pennsylvania Sires Stake for sophomore filly pacers, with Safe From Terror, Storm Point and Serious Filly each taking a division. Burke enjoyed a stakes double with Safe From Terror and Storm Point.
Safe From Terror clocked the fastest split when she charged from the pocket in the lane for Matt Kakaley to overtake the leader, Triple V Hanover, and defeat her by a neck in 1:52.1, a lifetime mark. Ginger Tree Alexis earned show.
Our Horse Cents Stables, Stable 45, and J&T Silva Stables campaign Safe From Terror, a daughter of Western Terror-In A Safe Place who is a half-sister of the venerable Foiled Again.
“She has a long way to go before she’s like Foiled Again,” Kakaley said, “but she’s a little sweetheart. With a trip like that, she’ll get the job done.”
Storm Point rated patiently in fourth for Dave Palone and Black Horse Racing, brushing in the stretch to score in 1:52.3, fastest of her career. Somewhere Sweet raced well first over for second, with Seeking Nirvana third.
“She has a little bit of greenness,” Palone said, “but she’s very intelligent in a race.”
Serious Filly was just that, launching a serious uncovered bid from fifth that carried her to victory for Mike Wilder in 1:53.2. Arts Jem finished second, beaten a head, while Southwind Roulette, Pennsylvania’s 2014 freshman champion, paced awkwardly through the Lightning Lane and settled for third.
“She can grind for a long way,” said winning trainer Brian Brown. “She’s better at grinding than sprinting. You saw her put in a few steps today. When I get that straightened out, she’ll be a good filly.”
Emerald Highlands Farm bred and owns the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Seriously.
(The Meadows)