Plan extra time due to soccer at MetLife 7/26 (games at 4pm & 7pm). Use Paterson Plank Road entrance and stay to right at toll plaza.

Dave Little’s Final Road to the 2025 Meadowlands Pace

Thursday, July 3, 2025


There were no changes in the final edition of Dave Little’s Road to the Meadowlands Pace Top 10. The horses in the 10th and final weekly poll are the 10 that will go to the gate next Saturday (July 12) in the $656,000 event. There are no eliminations for the first time in the race’s history, but nine of the horses will be in action this week to prepare for the classic one-mile dash.

 

ROAD TO THE MEADOWLANDS PACE

Final – Week 10 (of 10) – Thursday, July 3

The Meadowlands Pace is on Saturday, July 12, 2025

Rank Horse

(Earnings – Mark)  

Driver, Trainer

Owner(s)

Dave Little’s (and trainer’s) Comments
1
Louprint
($1,187,071 – 1:47.1)

 

R. Wrenn Jr., R. Burke

Burke Racing Stable LLC,

Weaver Bruscemi LLC,

Phillip Collura,

Lawrence  R. Karr

With no eliminations needed for the Pace, the conditioners have all had to adjust their plans. Louprint will qualify Friday morning. I asked the trainer why qualify rather than race in the Saturday night Pace prep. Burke: “Why not? I don’t race horses to finish fourth. I don’t think it’s fair to the fans. I’m not going to go [1]:47 for $30,000, and if I’m not going to go for money, I’m going to do what I want to do. For me, not having a race is better.”

Breeding: Sweet Lou-Rockin Racer

Last Race: 6/14/2025 – Wbsb – North America Cup – 1st (1:47.1)

2
Madden Oaks
($205,187 – 1:51.3)
B. Boyd, C. Capone
Samir A. Tawil,
Paul V. Kautz,
Alexander P. Henn,
Nathan J. Fullmer
Racing on Sunday at Tioga. Capone: “I wanted to go to the prep race, but after talking to my dad [Mark], we agreed to go in an overnight at Tioga. Your back in 6 days, it’s like a qualifier, so you’re keeping conditioning without being hard on him. Not having eliminations was big for me. I feel like I have a real contender, but he’s still green. As the season goes on, he’ll get better.”

Breeding: Huntsville-Hard Eight

Last Race: 6/28/2025 – Wbsb – NW$15,000 – 2nd (1:49.3)

3
Captain Optimistic
($536,440 – 1:49)
D. Dunn, N. Takter
3 Brothers Stables,
Marvin Katz,
Caviart Farms
Has drawn post 4 in the dash for Meadowlands Pace eligibles Saturday night (Race 8). Takter: “I like no eliminations because I like knowing I’m in the final. We are racing because I made some equipment changes and want to see how that goes. He trained the other day in 1:51.3.”

Breeding: Captaintreacherous-Cinamony

Last Race: 6/14/2025 – Wbsb – North America Cup – 4th (1:47.3)

4
Fallout
($594,700 – 1:48.4)
T. Tetrick, T. Alagna
Robert J. LeBlanc,
Pryde Stables Inc,
Caviart Farms
Post 2 in the prep, one of six in the Top 10 who will be behind the gate. Alagna: “He had a good week and got a great start in him last week. We are looking forward to the prep. The good thing is, with the short field, everybody will be close, or should be, at the head of the lane and everybody should get what they need.”

Breeding: Captaintreacherous-Aria Hanover

Last Race: 6/21/2025 – M1 – W2NW5 – 1st (1:49.1)

5
Prince Hal Hanover
($358,324 – 1:49.3)
J. Jamieson, Dr. I. Moore
Prince Hal Hanover Stable
Post 6 at Mohawk in an overnight Saturday (Race 2). Moore: “Both [of my horses] are ready to go. Hal is racing up here [at Mohawk on] Saturday. [Mohawk] wasn’t sure if they would have a race, so I figured I might as well keep him here for another week, then they wrote a race where he fit.”

Breeding: Captaintreacherous-Percy Bluechip

Last Race: 6/14/2025 – Wbsb – North America Cup – 8th (1:48)

6
Manolete
($334,243 – 1:50.3)
S. Zeron, B. Saunders
M and L of Delaware LLC,
M & M Harness Racing LLC
Post 6 at The Meadowlands in the prep after finishing 3rd in the Messenger.

What about only 10 horses dropping into the Pace? Saunders: “I guess Louprint and some of the others have intimidated some of the others. As far as I’m concerned, we wanted to race. I’m happy to draw the outside this week [in the prep] to give us an opportunity to race a little differently. My horse had a nice week. he trained a few slow trips.”

Breeding: Cattlewash-Glancewithme

Last Race: 6/27/2025 – YR – Messenger – 3rd (1:51.3)

7
Joel And The Jets
($73,846 – 1:51.3)
T. McCarthy, Dr. I. Moore
Joel and the Jets Stable
Post 3 at The Meadowlands in the prep. The Doc is happy to have both of his colts racing this week, since neither has been on the track in 3 weeks. ‘Joel’ has had some issues with his lungs, but is ready to go now. Moore:

“I gave him 10cc of Lasix. That’s the max you can use. He’s had tie-up issues before.”

Breeding: Stay Hungry-Betty And The Jets

Last Race: 6/14/2025 – Wbsb – North America Cup – 10th (1:50.2)

8
Papis Pistol
($209,952 – 1:48)
D. Miller, S. DePinto
Shannon C. DePinto,
Chris Arvanitis,
Anthony Perretti,
Brad Shackman
Post 1 at The Meadowlands in the prep. DePinto: “He scoped clean after his qualifier but he came back sick, so he was on antibiotics. He didn’t eat the day after, which is unusual for him, but he’s OK. I’d like to see a nice trip [Saturday in the prep] and just finish strong.”

Breeding: Papi Rob Hanover-Bang Bang

Last Race: 6/27/2025 – M1 – Qualifier – 4th (1:52.3)

9
Papi’s Rocket
($336,851 – 1:50.4)
Y. Gingras, R. Burke
Burke Racing Stable LLC,
Weaver Bruscemi LLC,
Knox Services Inc,
Slaughter Racing Stable LLC
Taking the week off. Burke: “[The Messenger] was a disaster. He went parked the whole mile. He’ll train on Saturday and should be plenty tight enough.”

Breeding: Papi Rob Hanover-Real Touch

Last Race: 6/27/2025 – YR – Messenger – 5th (1:54.2)

10

 

 

 

Knockout Round
($87,517 – 1:50.4)
A. McCarthy, T. Alagna
Micki Rae Stables LLC,
Riverview Racing LLC

 

Post 5 at The Meadowlands in the prep. Alagna: “He got off on the wrong foot earlier this year in Canada. We still have faith in him. His qualifier went really well the other day. This step dictates what his next step is.”

Breeding: Sweet Lou-Can’t Stop Me Now

Last Race: 6/20/2025 – M1 – Qualifier – 2nd (1:53.2)

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
5/3

 

 

PaSS Mea Twisted Destiny

LOUPRINT

Go Go Grasshopper

C. Ryder

R. Burke

J. Bongiorno

D. Dunn

R. Wrenn Jr.

D. Palone

Railroad Station

Dreamboat Hanover

PAPI’S ROCKET

PRINCE HAL HANOVER

WILD BILL WYATT

Shipmaster

1:49.1

1:49.3

1:50

5/3

 

NJSS M1 MAKING HISTORY

Smooth Dream

T. Alagna

N. Daley

B. Beckwith

T. McCarthy

MANOLETE

Twin Fury

Expedited Service

TOM HORN

1:52.1

1:49.3

5/10 Pa All-Stars PcD Beach Club Monty

Lou’s Starr

Snack Attack

Railroad Station

Makes Sense

B. Pelling

S. Warnick

J. Bongiorno

R. Burke

R. Cleary

S. Zeron

M. Kakaley

J. Bartlett

Y. Gingras

A. McCarthy

Shipmaster

WAFFLE BLUE CHIP

PAPI’S ROCKET

Odds On No Limit

Bulldozer

SEAWORTHY HANOVER

Wedlock Blue Chip

Delray Beach

Federer

Dreamboat Hanover

1:51.2

1:51.2

1:51.1

1:50.4

1:51.4

5/10 NJSS M1 MANOLETE

Smooth Dream

B. Saunders

N. Daley

S. Zeron

T. McCarthy

Odds On Broward

Twin Fury

Expedited Service

MAKING HISTORY

1:50.3

1:50.4

5/17

 

PaSS

 

 

PcD LOUPRINT

Wedlock Blue Chip

PRINCE HAL HANOVER

R. Burke

R. Mallar

Dr. I. Moore

R. Wrenn

D. Miller

D. Miller

Twisted Destiny

PAPI’S ROCKET

Railroad Station

Th Kay C Crunch

Shipmaster

Lou’s Starr

1:50.2

1:51.3

1:49.3

5/24 NJSS final M1 Smooth Dream N. Daley T. McCarthy MANOLETE MAKING HISTORY 1:50.3
5/24 OnSS Gold

 

Wbsb Sterling Choice

Control Rocks

B. MacIntosh

J. Darling

B. Davis Jr.

T. Borth

SET SHOT

Tip Of Time

Aquinas Hanover

Fifth And Five

1:50.4

1:50.1

5/25

 

PaSS

 

 

Phl Twisted Destiny

Wedlock Blue Chip

LOUPRINT

C. Ryder

R. Mallar

R. Burke

T. McCarthy

D. Miller

R. Wrenn Jr.

CAPTAIN OPTIMISTIC

Railroad Station

FALLOUT

PAPI’S ROCKET

Charge Me Up

Go Go Grasshopper

1:49.4

1:50.3

1:50.2

5/31

 

Somebchsomewhere Wbsb PRINCE HAL HANOVER

Bourbon Country

Dr. I. Moore

P. Reid

D. McNair

T. Henry

Ayeaye Captain Deo

Lite Up The World

MADDEN OAKS

Courts On Fire

1:49.4

1:50.1

6/7

 

 

N.A. Cup elims Wbsb CAPTAIN OPTIMISTIC

Lite Up The World

LOUPRINT

N. Takter

A. Beaton

R. Burke

D. Dunn

J. MacDonald

R. Wrenn Jr.

JOEL AND THE JETS

Crack Shot

PRINCE HAL HANOVER

Swingtown

MADDEN OAKS

Dandy Ideal

1:50.2

1:48.3

1:49.1

6/14 N.A. Cup final Wbsb LOUPRINT R. Burke R. Wrenn Jr. MADDEN OAKS Fast Choice 1:47.1
6/20

 

Messenger elims YR Twisted Destiny

Odds On No Limit

C. Ryder

T. Alexander

D. Dunn

M. Kakaley

Dandy Ideal

PAPI’S ROCKET

MANOLETE

World Of Wishes

1:53

1:52.4

6/27 Messenger final YR Twisted Destiny C. Ryder D. Dunn Dandy Ideal MANOLETE 1:51.2
6/28

 

OnSS Gold Wbsb Crack Shot

SET SHOT

R. McNair

Dr. I. Moore

D. McNair

J. Jamieson

Boxer Seelster

Aquinas Hanover

Blue Bar

Allstar Maniac

1:50.2

1:51

7/5 Meadowlands Pace prep M1            
7/12 Meadowlands Pace final M1