MADC Recap from Friday Night at the Meadowlands!!

Friday, April 21, 2023

With clear skies and temperatures in the low 60s, the MADC club had three pacing races scheduled on the card.  For another consecutive week, these club races didn’t disappoint and none of the three favorites won these events!!

In the first race on the card, it was several horses leaving hard from the opening gate, but once Harry Hanover (James Slendorn) got to the top through a 27 second first quarter, there was no looking back.  He really didn’t have any anxious moments throughout the mile and when pocket sitter Father Fred (Newton “Yogi” Sheridan) stopped at the half mile pole and scattered the field, Slendorn had some mile challengers but ended winning by a length margin of victory over Final Justic (Anthony Verruso).  The post time favorite Captain’s Reign(Dakota Jackson) rounded out the trifecta.  The mile was timed in 1:55.2.  The 4-year old gelding is co-owned by Slendorn himself out of NJ along with his trainer Kelvin Harrison, also out of NJ.

The fifth race on the card found a speed duel from the start and after a blistering 26.4 first quarter, Jonah(Anthony Verruso) grudgingly gave way to Always A Panther(Newton “Yogi” Sheridan), who left from the 10 post and took command as the field entered the backstretch.  After a pedestrian 30.2 second quarter by Sheridan, the field stacked up, causing Takeittotheface(Peter Kleinhans) to go off stride for a brief moment and that scattered a few horses behind him as the field past the half mile marker.  The rated second and third quarter marks by the leader didn’t lead to victory as the old veteran, Texas Terror N(Dakota “Action” Jackson) came from last at the quarter pole to pounce on the leaders and ended up winning by just over a length over the pocket sitter and post time favorite, Jonah(Anthony Verruso).  Takeittotheface(Peter Kleinhans) finished third but was disqualified for causing interference while on a brief break, according to the judges, and moved Always A Panther up to third from his fourth place finishing.  The mile was timed in 1:54.3.  The 15-year old gelding is owned by Ettore Annunziata Rev Trust out of NY and is trained by Michael Annunziata out of NY.

In the ninth race and final MADC race of the night, it was once again a race to the top at the quarter pole.  Claytons Bettor N(James Slendorn) found his way to the front but had to pay a stiff price to get there, as he paced by the first stanza in a jaw-dropping 26.2!!  He was challenged just after the half by longshot Trashytonguetalker(Robert Hechkoff) as the pace slowed down to a walk at the half that went in 57.1(30.4 second quarter).  Hechkoff looked like he may clear the leader but broke around the final turn, but that didn’t stop the closers and outer flow to collar the leader.  It was once again that Dakota “Action” Jackson, came from 8^th in this race with Trente Deo, to gain command late to win his second consecutive race of the night by just under a length.  It was also the second MADC race in a row that had the post time favorite and driver, Grateful Kiss(Anthony Verruso) finish second while Go West Go Fast(Tony Beltrami) rounded out the trifecta.  This mile was timed in 1:54.2.  The 7-year old is also trained by Jackson himself and is owned by his brother Zachary Jackson out of Ohio.

The MADC is scheduled to be back in action next Friday at the Meadowlands.  Post time is scheduled for 6:20pm.