Lantern Kronos makes her debut against older in the first Oaks division and she’ll encounter current queen of the sect, Buck I St Pat, as a rival on Friday. Summertime Yankee won an Oaks split at Dover and has the rail in this, race two on the menu.
Mid card (race five) the Oaks finds Falls For You, the other leg one winner, taking on veterans Bruschette and Susie’s Magic as well as graduating sophomores One Tough Lass and Stage Show.
The Trotting Classic is the tenth race Friday and it promises to be worth the wait. Arch Madness, who looked absolutely fierce winning an Open last week in a wrapped-up 1:51.4, goes against familiar rivals Enough Talk and Corleone Kosmos. Enough Talk has had a bit of a freshening since the Su Mac Lad and Corleone Kosmos, last year’s TC Final winner, makes his seasonal bow. The always dangerous Misterizi and the surprise Su Mac Lad champ Lanson are included in the field as well.
Saturday is, of course, Kentucky Derby Day, always a big day at the track and The Meadowlands presents their customers a compelling reason to stick around for the night harness card. The Pacing Classic and Classic Distaff, each for a purse of $85,000, add luster to the usual overnight power and two eliminations for the Berry’s Creek, the first high dollar test for the 3YO pacing colts.
The Classic Distaff (race three) fields six of the most talented and competitive mares around. My Little Dragon, the fastest female standardbred ever and defending Distaff champ, has not had an easy go of it in her first few outings this season but the short field and a return to her favorite surface may be just what she’s looking for. Southwind Tempo added another world record to her impressive list of lifetime accomplishments when she hung a 1:48.3 on the gals in the Betsy Ross Final last Sunday. Darlin’s Delight needs no introduction. She and Martha Maxine, who cruised in leg one at Dover, dead heated for second in that Betsy Ross Final. A & G’s Confusion won the Breeders Crown last year at three and could not have found a much tougher spot to make her first start of the season. Art’s Diva completes the field.
The Pacing Classic comes as the tenth race and offers an even field of eight. Frog Juice (Badlands Hanover) was the winner of leg one at Dover and faces many of the same foes he vanquished on that occasion. Winbak Speed held for second in the Dover race despite a grueling first over assignment. New shooters include Bettor Sweet, strong in the early meet - now fresh and the venerable Won The West making his seasonal debut. (Classic Series)