from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — In a four-horse charge to the wire, Bono Bests ($6.00, $3.60, $2.60) got up in the final strides to win the second race, one of two $35,000 Aquarius Series divisions, on Saturday night (Feb. 17) at the Meadowlands.

Trained by Jacob Hartline and driven by Yannick Gingras, Bono Bests paced the mile in 1:51.2 for his first win in two starts this season. Real Mean Art ($4.40, $3.20) closed fastest of all to finish second, while Alastor Hanover was third ($5.00).

“The trip worked out real nice,” said Gingras. “This horse needs cover. He hasn’t raced in four to five months. We just wanted to get him sharp for the final.”

Bono Bests made his 4-year-old debut in last week’s opening round of the Aquarius and finished third. The son of Pro Bono Best won 10 races and earned $214,805 during his successful sophomore campaign. He hit the board in 19 of 28 starts, including a third in the $225,000 Berry’s Creek at the Meadowlands. Bono Bests is owned by Thomas Grossman of Lyndeborough, New Hampshire, Stephen Demeter of Tarrytown, New York and Herbert Burns III of Wallkill, New York.

In the second Aquarius division, race three, Mister Big ($3.60, $2.80, $2.10) held off the tenacious Tuffofthetoughest ($4.20, $2.10) for a three-quarter length win in 1:52. Royal Man ($2.10) rallied off a third-over trip to finish third.

Driven by Brian Sears, Mister Big notched his fourth win in six starts this year. Last month he captured a preliminary leg and the final of the Willowdale Series at Woodbine. Virgil Morgan, Jr. trains the son of Grinfromeartoear for Joe Muscara of Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania. Mister Big was the runner-up in the $610,000 Breeders Crown 3-year-old colt pace last fall at Woodbine.

The $74,000 Aquarius Final is next Saturday, February 24, at the Meadowlands. Also sharing the spotlight that evening are the $90,400 Junior Trendsetter and $70,000 Exit 16W finals.