by Carol Hodes, for the SBOANJ

Manalapan, NJ — It was 2002 when trainer Chris Ryder celebrated a sweet victory in the richest of state-bred races — the $500,000 New Jersey Classic — with McArdle.

On Saturday night, May 24, Ryder will attempt to qualify a son of McArdle named McCedes for the 2008 edition of the $500,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic at the Meadowlands and see if success can strike a second time.

Fifteen 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings, split into a pair $25,000 elimination races on Saturday night, will vie for 10 spots on the gate in the final on May 31. Fifteen fillies are divided in two $20,000 eliminations on Friday night, competing for the right to advance to the $200,000 Thomas D’Altrui Miss New Jersey, also on May 31.

Both events are sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey and restricted to the progeny of New Jersey-based stallions.

Ryder, a transplanted New Zealander who calls Allentown, N.J. home, nearly pulled off a stakes double in 2007 when both his New Jersey Classic entrant, Yankee Skyscaper, and Miss New Jersey finalist, Platinum Hanover, finished second in their respective races.

This year he sends out one hopeful, McCedes.

Rewarded with two breedings to McArdle, Ryder’s search for a broodmare yielded an unraced daughter of The Panderosa named Only Gossip.

“I bought the mare, and this (McCedes) was the first colt out of the mare,” Ryder noted.

“The horse from the beginning has done everything right,” said Ryder. “He did quite well in the New Jersey Sire Stakes. I know this is a bit of a step up, but I’m happy with the horse, and he’s sure to get his money.”

At two, McCedes posted four wins and three seconds in 11 starts for earnings of $98,718.

After winning his career debut on July 12 at the Meadowlands in 1:54.1 and finishing second in a Tompkins-Geers division at Tioga Downs, McCedes spent the balance of his freshman season at Freehold Raceway in New Jersey Sire Stakes, the Battle of Freehold, the Lou Babic and the New Jersey Futurity.

“Last year he was push button, and he trained down uneventfully,” Ryder explained. “He had a little bit of sickness near the end of the year.”

McCedes made his first start of 2008 on April 26, finishing second in the $27,250 Standardbred Retirement Foundation Final at Freehold. He qualified with a fourth place finish in the elims and then was fifth in the $215,000 Berry’s Creek Final on May 10, only 1-1/2 lengths back. Last week, on May 17, McCedes tossed in a :26.3 final quarter to win an opening round division of the New Jersey Sire Stakes in a personal best of 1:52.

He currently has five wins and three seconds from 15 career outings for earnings of $131,780.

Ryder, who co-owns the pacer with Jerry Silva of Long Beach, N.Y., has taken a conservative tactic for scheduling McCedes in 2008. Neither the North America Cup nor the Meadowlands Pace is on the pacer’s dance card.

“If I thought it was a very top colt I would have put him in there,” said Ryder. “I think he’s a very nice colt. It was a bit of a temptation, but I hope I made the right decision.”

Ryder, who has 34 horses — including two dozen 2-year-olds — in training at Winners International in Allentown, N.J., has harnessed more than 900 winners who have banked in excess of $22 million since 1991, when the United States Trotting Association started tracking trainer records.

The lanky Kiwi has consistently produced top horses, and there are a few who have especially stood out in recent years.

“The best I’ve had was McArdle,” said Ryder, 52, referring to the earner of nearly $2.5 million. “Mystical Sunshine won two Breeders Crowns for me (and was the Trotting Mare of the Year in 2007). Sealed N Delivered, he was 2-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year (in 1997). He was the first really good horse that put me on the map.”

Sealed N Delivered, a son of Falcon Seelster out of Dana L Almahurst, a daughter of Nihilator, won divisional honors after posting a record of six wins, four seconds and one third from 11 starts and earnings $570,329 at two. He would not repeat that success at three, banking $276,654 with seven of 18 in-the-money finishes.

Ryder dipped into a similar gene pool with McArdle who is also by Falcon Seelster and out of Lilting Laughter, also a daughter of Nihilator.

McCedes, a foal of 2005, is from McArdle’s first crop, which yielded 62 starters who have banked $1.6 million.

Should McCedes win this year’s New Jersey Classic, however, he would not be the first son of a previous winner to do so. Cam’s Card Shark, who captured the race in 1994, sired the 2000 winner Riverboat King, the 2001 winner Bettor’s Delight and the 2007 winner Fresh Deck. Matt’s Scooter, who won the New Jersey Classic in 1988, sired the 1996 winner Falcons Scooter.