by Amy Silver, publicity director, Meadowlands Racetrack

East Rutherford, NJ — Trainer Noel Daley unveiled the first bullet in his powerful 3-year-old arsenal when Ideal Matters stormed home in an eye-catching :25.4 to win his career debut February 21 at Meadowlands Racetrack.

The Meadowlands Pace eligible looks to rebound from a fourth-place finish as the heavy favorite last week in the second leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes on Saturday night, May 22. Ideal Matters will start from post five as the even-money favorite in the $25,500 second race, the first of the three divisions restricted to NJ-sired colt pacers. He is one of three colts eligible to the $1 million Meadowlands Pace (July 17) that Daley will send out that evening.

A $60,000 buy at the Lexington Selected yearling sale, the son of Western Ideal-Art Matters is owned by Brittany Farms, Adam Victor and Son Stable, Melvin Hartman and Island View Partners. Unraced at two, the colt has won four of six starts since his winter introduction. On April 24, he romped to a stakes record of 1:50.2 in the $67,000 Matt’s Scooter Final with Tim Tetrick in the sulky. He showcased his wicked speed last week with a final quarter of :25.2.

“He had a little issue with an injury in the paddock last year, so it got to where we were behind with him,” Daley said. “We got him down to about 2:08, the season was two-thirds over, and we were lucky enough the group that owned him decided to put him away. We had to start him a little early this year to see how good he was, but he had shown talent from day one. Now it’s been a matter of managing him right, gapping out his races and keeping him fresh. He’s a very talented horse, but we’ll have to see how he goes when he has to really step it up with the good ones. In the Matt’s Scooter Series, Tim Tetrick was very happy with him. He said he relaxed once he got the front, and as soon as a horse came he swelled up on his own. He’s definitely got the speed and talent.”

Breeders Crown champion All Speed Hanover makes his sophomore debut from post two in the $26,100 third race NJSS division with Ron Pierce at the lines. He is coupled in the wagering with Foreign Officer. All Speed Hanover was a $60,000 yearling purchase at the Harrisburg Sale. Adam Victor and Son Stable and John Fielding own the son of Cam’s Card Shark-Allamerican Cool.

All Speed Hanover capped his freshman campaign by upsetting divisional champion Sportswriter in the Breeders Crown at Woodbine. He rallied from off the pace to gun down the Dan Patch Award winner in 1:52. All Speed Hanover won five of seven starts in 2009 and came to prominence winning Grand Circuit stakes both weeks at the Red Mile, where he scored twice in 1:50.3. He took his second qualifier on May 13 in 1:52.

“Last year, he was a little erratic, steering wise,” Daley said of All Speed Hanover. “We had a fair bit of gear on him early on, but he always showed he had power. So, he took a little time to rig right and we decided to start him up in Lexington with Luke McCarthy driving. It worked out perfectly. He’s come back super this season and we’re very happy with him. He’s a very athletic horse, and I don’t think he’ll need a lot to really get going. He’s eligible to most major stakes, but it’s a long year and you can’t be in everything.”

In the $25,500 third division, carded as race five, Daley sends out Woodstock from the rail with Brian Sears. The son of Rocknroll Hanover was a $100,000 purchase at the Lexington Selected yearling sale and is also owned by Brittany Farms, Hartman, Adam Victor and Son Stable and Woodstock Partners. Woodstock won his second qualifier on May 13 in 1:53.1 with a :25.4 final quarter.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he went on to be a very good horse as a 4- and 5-year-old,” Daley noted. “He’s grown up and he’s taller, but he’s going to get bigger as he gets a little older. He’s probably not as tough at this stage as All Speed Hanover. He’s staked to everything and he’ll be in all of the big ones. With the right trip he can out sprint a lot of them. I hope he doesn’t get a lot of tough trips. I don’t know if he can handle that yet. Hopefully, we won’t over race him and have a nice older horse.”

Bargain buy Mr Hallowell back at The Big M

An early season standout, Mr Hallowell returns to the Meadowlands in the $20,000 seventh race on Saturday night.

He will start from post five with Ron Pierce at the lines in the conditioned event for pacers. A sharp claim, the 6-year-old gelding has hit the board in 15 of 18 starts for trainer Chris Carruba and owners Cookie N Mo Stables (Irwin and Ellen Kaplan) and Jonathan Klee this season.

“They claimed Mr Hallowell for $15,000 at the Meadowlands last February,” Carruba said. “The horse thinks he’s a world beater. He just knocks on the door and every week he gives you his all. He’s made $100,000 this year and won in 1:49.3 with George Brennan (February 20 at the Meadowlands). I can’t get George all the time, but Ron Pierce has done a great job and gets along with him just as well. This horse just races his heart out every start.

“He’s just found himself at a certain age (six). I’ve seen horses at two and three not worth a ham sandwich, then they spurt at four and away they go. They learn how to go that fast. He just does everything right, and he’s very easy on himself during the week. He’s not much of a half-mile track horse, and unfortunately that’s what I have to train him on. But he does it well enough to stay fit. He’s the type of horse that jogs all week, and on Wednesday for Saturday, he trains a slow trip in 2:15 or 2:20. It all depends on how he’s feeling that day. He doesn’t have to train hard, and he still goes out and gets the job done.

“There’s nothing better than a horse that can finish the mile, and he’s certainly one of those,” he continued. “One start last summer at Pocono Downs he cut fast fractions, they were at him every step of the way, and he still won in 1:50.2. So, he can handle the front end, but I prefer him coming from the back. He’s better that way and he’ll last a lot longer that way.”

Carruba, 53, grew up in Batavia, N.Y., where his father owned horses and worked for a company that built Trojan bucket tractors. A 35-year veteran of the sport, Carruba now resides in Middletown, N.Y., and splits his stable between the Meadowlands and Pocono Downs.

“I raced most of my career in the Buffalo area, but I’ve been everywhere, as the Johnny Cash song goes,” he said. “I raced at Vernon Downs, Pompano Park, Northfield Park, Monticello and Canada. I raced umpteen years in Buffalo, and I just figured it was time for a change. I wanted to try the big scene, but never had the courage to make the move. I’ve been around here now for two years. I had a stable of nine when I left the Buffalo area. I just wanted to make a change and I did it. So far, knock on wood, it’s working out for me.

“Originally, the co-owners of Mr Hallowell (the Kaplans) contacted me, but I was working for Buzzy Sholty at the time,” he continued. “Then, Jonathan Klee asked me to take some horses, and before I knew it I had a decent stable of my own.”