Manolete Jumps Three Spots in Dave Little’s 2025 Road to the Meadowlands Pace Week 3
Friday, May 16, 2025
It was a quiet seven days for the most part for the horses in Dave Little’s weekly Road to the Meadowlands Pace poll, as six of the top 10 took the week off.
The biggest splash was made by the Bruce Saunders-trained Manolete, who rebounded from a tough loss two weeks ago to a good-looking win in a lifetime-best 1:50.3 last Saturday to move up three spots to No. 6.
ROAD TO THE MEADOWLANDS PACE
Week 3 (of 10) – Thursday, May 15
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 ($758,499 – 1:48.4) | R. Wrenn Jr., R. Burke Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Phillip Collura, Lawrence R. Karr | Took the week off. How did Ronnie Wrenn get the drive? Burke: “Ronnie started driving him early on. He qualified him at The Meadows. he trained him at The Meadows. He drives my Meadows horses.” Racing Saturday at Pocono in the PaSS. Breeding: Sweet Lou-Rockin Racer Last Race: 5/3/2025 – Mea – PaSS – 1st (1:49.3) |
| 2 | Captain Optimistic ($454,830 – 1:49) | D. Dunn, N. Takter 3 Brothers Stables, Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms | Took the week off. Takter: “He’s going to qualify on Saturday, then, hopefully, get a race in an overnight the week after. He’s going to need to be sharp to go to the North America Cup so I’m not going to cry if he doesn’t beat those older horses. This is the exact schedule that we had in mind.” Breeding: Captaintreacherous-Cinamony Last Race: 5/2/2025 – M1 – Qualifier – 1st (1:51.4) |
| 3 | Fallout ($568,600 – 1:48.4) | T. Tetrick, T. Alagna Robert J. LeBlanc, Pryde Stables Inc, Caviart Farms | Took the week off. Alagna: “He’s good. He’s entered Saturday night at The Meadowlands [in an overnight against older foes]. We need to get a race under his belt.” Breeding: Captaintreacherous-Aria Hanover Last Race: 5/2/2025 – M1 – Qualifier – 2nd (1:52) |
| 4 | Papi’s Rocket ($305,683 – 1:50.4) | Y. Gingras, R. Burke Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Knox Services Inc, Slaughter Racing Stable LLC | Got gunned down as the 2-5 favorite on the lead last week. Burke: “I wasn’t thrilled with it, but I’m not overly worried. I assume he’ll come back and race well this weekend at Pocono. I think right now he’s better following [off a helmet].” Breeding: Papi Rob Hanover-Real Touch Last Race: 5/10/2025 – PcD – Pa All-Stars – 2nd (1:51.2) |
| 5 | Papis Pistol ($184,867 – 1:49.3) | A. Miller, S. DePinto Shannon C. DePinto, Chris Arvanitis, Anthony Perretti, Brad Shackman | Finished second in a qualifier at The Meadowlands on May 10. DePinto: “We’ll race next week at The Meadowlands in an overnight or in a qualifier. There’s a chance I’ll go to Chester but The Meadowlands is the preference. He travels over that track pretty good and I can stretch him out a little more. The next time we race at The Meadowlands we have to put a pretty good mile on him. The whole thing behind this is to get him ready for the North America Cup.” Breeding: Papi Rob Hanover-Bang Bang Last Race: 5/10/2025 – M1 – Qualifier – 2nd (1:52.4) |
| 6 | Manolete ($250,993 – 1:50.3) | S. Zeron, B. Saunders M and L of Delaware LLC, M & M Harness Racing LLC | Rebounded from a nose defeat on May 3 to win from the pocket last week in a lifetime best. Saunders: “He’s doing well, enjoying a light week. We are looking forward to next week’s New Jersey Sire Stakes final. He never fails to show up. The draw will have a significant influence on how the race goes.” The trainer likes the one-week break before the final. “Better to do it the way they are doing it. Going three weeks in a row is a little stressful for these horses at this time of year.” Breeding: Cattlewash-Glancewithme Last Race: 5/10/2025 – M1 – NJSS – 1st (1:50.3) |
| 7 | American Son ($176,815 – 1:49.3) | D. Dunn, C. Ryder Henderson Farms | Took the week off after throat surgery. Ryder: “There was no race for him last week, so we are qualifying this weekend [at The Meadowlands against Fusion and Captain Optimistic]. His throat procedure, it’s done, it wasn’t major. I’ll be looking for an overnight soon since we want to go to Canada.” Breeding: American Ideal-Lady Captain Last Race: 5/3/2025 – M1 – W3NW6 – 3rd (1:50.3) |
| 8 | Making History ($15,500 – 1:52.1) | B. Beckwith, T. Alagna Riverview Racing LLC | Raced from the back of the pack before rallying for third to Pace ineligible Smooth Dream, who is in the beast category. Alagna: “I thought he raced very well, coming from last into a tough winner. He’s still green, and we are trying to educate him more than anything else. This week off comes at a good time.” Breeding: American History-Mystery Game Last Race: 5/10/2025 – M1 – NJSS – 3rd (1:51.3) |
| 9 | Prince Hal Hanover ($292,255 – 1:51) | D. Miller, Dr. I. Moore Prince Hal Hanover Stable | Took the week off. Moore: “He’s doing really well. I did not race last week because I planned on Pocono this week. Depending on how we do this week will determine if we go to Philly the following Saturday. I trained him [Tuesday], last half in :57. He was really good. He’s a bit ribby, so we just bumped his feed up. He eats everything.” Breeding: Captaintreacherous-Percy Bluechip Last Race: 5/3/2025 – Mea – PaSS – 3rd (1:49.2) |
| 10 | Fusion ($106,322 – 1:50.4) | T. McCarthy, B. Pelling Diamond Creek Racing | Took the week off. Pelling: “We’re qualifying Saturday at The Meadowlands. After that, we’ll see. we’ll look for a race.” Breeding: Always B Miki-Pure Country Last Race: 5/6/2025 – Phl – Qualifier – 2nd (1:53.1) |
KEY PREP RACES
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 | ||||||
| 5/17 | WEG/SBOA | WMP | ||||||
| 5/24 | NJSS final | M1 | ||||||
| 5/24 | OnSS Gold | WMP | ||||||
| 5/25 | PaSS | Phl | ||||||
| 5/31 | Somebchsomewhere | WMP | ||||||
| 6/7 | N.A. Cup elims | WMP | ||||||
| 6/14 | N.A. Cup final | WMP | ||||||
| 6/20 | Messenger elims | YR | ||||||
| 6/27 | Messenger final | YR | ||||||
| 6/28 | OnSS Gold | WMP | ||||||
| 7/5 | Meadowlands Pace elims | M1 | ||||||
| 7/12 | Meadowlands Pace final | M1 |
Meadowlands Pace
24
days
:
03
hrs
:
16
mins
:
01
secs
Track Conditions
Updated
06/14/2025
Fast
Variant:
Weather
East Rutherford, US
3:03 pm,
June 18, 2025
82°F
scattered clouds