East Rutherford, NJ — The curtain rose on the 2019 RUS MidAtlantic season at The Meadowlands Friday evening (May 3) and it was a familiar face who earned opening night accolades in the Renee Eck Memorial. Hyway Marcus, ridden by Sasha Moczulski, held off No Recess (Sietske Dijkhof) in a thrilling stretch run, hitting the wire in a lifetime mark of 1:58.4, a neck ahead of the second-place finisher.

Hyway Marcus leads No Recess down the stretch on his way to victory in RUS MidAtlantic’s Renee Eck Memorial Trot. Lisa photo.

When the wings of the gate folded, it was French-bred Akhenaton (Vanessa Karlewicz) taking advantage of the rail position by leaving quickly. RCs Ready (Hillary Hartnett) was parked in second while the race winner was three-wide in third. Egosnattitudes (Sofia Zingale) was fourth with No Recess parked fifth. Tightly bunched, the quintet hit the quarter in :28.4, only 1-1/4 lengths separating the first and fifth place horses.

By the time the field hit the half-mile marker, Hyway Marcus brushed up to take the lead while No Recess moved into second, parked out a quarter-length behind the eventual winner. Akhenaton dropped back to third, three lengths off the top two. The half was reached in :57.3.

Hyway Marcus and No Recess continued their spirited duel with No Recess only a head behind the leader as they passed the three-quarter maker in 1:27.3. The duel continued down the stretch with the margin of victory stretched to a neck.

The victory was the seventh lifetime RUS triumph out of 12 starts for the 8-year-old altered son of Gut Instinct–Highway Angel, taking top honors away from No Recess who won last year’s RUS race at the Meadowlands. Including his sulky starts, Hyway Marcus now has a three-race winning streak.

The 2019 RUS MidAtlantic series continues with stops at Ocean Downs, Rosecroft, and the Great Frederick Fair.