from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Here is Bob Heyden’s final ranking of the contenders for the $1 million Meadowlands Pace on July 18.

Rank, Horse, Driver, Trainer, Owner, Bob Heyden’s comments
1, Well Said, Ron Pierce, Steve Elliott, Jeff Snyder and Lothlorien. Won his Pace elim first over and did it easily. Could become eighth horse to win both NA Cup and Meadowlands Pace. Fastest horse to ever start in a million-dollar race (1:48.1).

2, Art Colony, John Campbell, Casie Coleman, Tom Hill. Second to Well Said in the Breeders Crown, NA Cup and Pace elimination. The trend may continue.

3, Hypnotic Blue Chip, Tim Tetrick, Mark Harder, D. Frost, R. Murphy, and Stable 45. Pace elim win was his 23rd start — the most of any finalist. Harder won in 2004 with Holborn Hanover, the longest shot in Pace history at $119.

4, Schoolkids, TBA, Tracy Brainard, Bulletproof Enterprises. The only contender who made his Meadowlands debut in the Pace elims. He’s shown talent right from the get-go, hitting the board 13 out of 14 in a busy freshman campaign.

5, Vintage Master, Daniel Dube, Jimmy Takter, Brittany Farms. Trotting specialist Takter makes his Meadowlands Pace debut. Broke his maiden, after 21 starts, a week before the Pace elims. Takter: “He’s going to need a hot pace.”

6, If I Can Dream, George Brennan, Tracy Brainard, Bulletproof Enterprises. Battled first over around the backside but faded in the stretch to finish fourth in his Pace elim. Brainard has two shots to become first woman to harness a Pace winner.

7, Arctic Warrior, David Miller, Sam Beegle, Wahoo Stable, Vizzi, Novinger, and Eyerly. Took the lead in a :54.1 half and held on for fifth in his elim. Sam Beegle: “That’s really not his race, his game is closing.”

8, Pair Of Dice, TBA, Steve Elliott, Paul Bordogna and Angelo Frassetto. Inherited spot in Pace final after a DQ in his elim. Steve Elliott: “He was ambitiously spotted, but we thought it was worth a shot.”

9, Chasin Racin, Brian Sears, George Teague, Jr., Elmer Fannin. Solid in his elim. Teague has won more million-dollar pacing events in the last four years than anyone else.

10, Ideal Danny, Yannick Gingras, Erv Miller, D.R. Van Witzenburg. Found room late to finish third in his Pace elim. Erv Miller: “He was good after having some time off. He finished with a lot of pace.”