from Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – May 13, 2006 – Ponder and Quality Western won their respective $50,000 elimination race on Saturday night and will be among the 10 free for all pacers advancing to the $225,000 Graduate Final on May 20 at the Meadowlands.

The top five from each of the elimination races, carded as the sixth and races races, qualify for the final with the divisional winners having their choice of post position.

Lisa Photo

Quality Western, driven by George Brennan and trained by Richard Johnson, posted his second straight victory in the second elimination of the Graduate.

In the first elim, Ponder [$6.00, $3.40, $2.40] followed Casimir Camotion [$3.20, $3.00] into the top of the stretch, fired out of the pocket and took the lead with a sixteenth of a mile to go, winning by seven lengths.

Jenna’s Choice [$3.00] got up for third, eight and a quarter lengths back.

Also making the cut were Pacific Renegade [fourth] and Whodunit [fifth].

“He was a real nice colt last year but for some reason this horse really grew during the break,” said winning driver Ron Pierce. “He must have got five inches taller, eight inches longer and put on 200 pounds. He’s really filled out nice.”

Ponder, a five-year-old son of The Panderosa, matched his lifetime best of 1:48.3 for the mile.

Trainer Robert McIntosh co-owns the Canadian Pacing Derby winner in partnership with CSX Stables of Liberty Center, Ohio, and John Fielding of Toronto, Ontario.

Quality Western [$42.60, $12.00, $5.20] rallied from next to last with a three and four-wide move on the turn for home to catch the pacesetting Leading X Ample [$6.80, $3.60] for a length and three-quarter tally.

The 1:49.4 clocking matched the six-year-old’s career best.

Hop Sing [$3.00], the 6-5 favorite, got up for third, two lengths back.

Also making the final were Mypanmar [fourth] and Georgia Pacific [fifth].

Quality Western, driven by George Brennan and trained by Richard Johnson, posted his second straight victory. He now has three wins, two seconds and two thirds from 15 starts and earnings of $105,334 this year toward a career total of $780,032.

In April, he was purchased by a quartet of New Jersey owners – the D’Elegance Stable of Florham Park, Royal Flush Stables of Dover, TLP Stable of Kearny and Ronald Sultan of Bridgewater.

ARTISTIC FELLA & POWNAL BAY MATT POST NJSS VICTORIES

Lisa Photo

Artistic Fella, the Suslow and Berry’s Creek winner, rolled to a five-length victory over Palone Ranger in the $37,850 first division of New Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

Artistic Fella and Pownal Bay Matt were winners in a pair of first round New Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings earlier in the card.

Artistic Fella [$3.00, $2.10, $2.10], the Suslow and Berry’s Creek winner, rolled to a five-length victory over Palone Ranger [$2.60, $2.10] in the $37,850 first division, the second race. It was 12 and a quarter lengths to Michelles Gemstone [$2.10] in third.

Artistic Fella matched his lifetime best with a mile in 1:50.3, extending his winning streak to four.

Driven by Ron Pierce and trained by Steve Elliott, Artistic Fella now has four wins in eight tries this year, seven of 12 starts lifetime.

The Pacific Fella colt races for Joseph Alborano of New Egypt, New Jersey.

Pownal Bay Matt [$10.60, $3.80, $3.00], driven by George Brennan, took charge before the half and scored a length and three-quarter victory over 8-5 favorite Feelin Friskie [$3.00, $2.40] in the $38,450 second division, the third race on the program. Artstanding [$2.60] was third by eight and three-quarter lengths.

Pownal Boy, who won the Matt’s Scooter Final on March 24, picked up his third win in 13 starts this year. He paced a lifetime best of 1:51.1.

Trained by David Pinkney Jr., the son of Matt’s Scooter is owned by F. Ian Smith of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

CUTLER ELIM WINNERS PICK POSTS

Vivid Photo and Hez Striking, the elim winners on Friday night, picked their post for the $175,000 Arthur Cutler Memorial on May 20. Vivid Photo will leave from the rail and Hez Striking will have post two.