from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Four Starz Sisco, who suffered his only loss in five starts in last week’s prep, is the 5-2 morning line favorite in Saturday night’s $225,480 Berry’s Creek for three-year-old pacers, the featured sixth race at the Meadowlands.

“He has scary natural ability, pure ability,” said Eric Ledford, who has sat behind the gelding in all but one start. “He’s only started five times but has the kind of real speed you don’t see often, hardly ever.”

“Two weeks ago, in his fourth start, it was the first time that he ever got over-aggressive out there, hot,” Ledford noted.

Four Starz Sisco was gelded and turned out at two without racing.

“That helped him mature,” said trainer Dave Sabatelli. “He was not into being a racing horse. He had his mind on everything else but that. He is all business right now. If anything, he is too much. He needs to learn to relax a bit.”

The son of The Panderosa rewarded the patience of Sabatelli and owners Jeff Cohen and Mike Sudaley, who race as the Four Starzzzz Stables of Glenwood, New Jersey, winning his first four starts this year. The only mar on his record came in the $25,000 Berry’s Creek Prep.

“Last week, in the prep, he was about to go off stride,” noted Ledford. “He actually did for a quick few strides there. I didn’t want to drive him into a break so I eased up on him, sat off with him.”

He finished eighth in the prep, which was won by Jenna’s Choice.

When Jenna’s Choice emerged from that race with a stress fracture that will sideline him until the end of the year, the role of Berry’s Creek favorite fell to Four Starz Sisco.

The post position draw for the Berry’s Creek, Saturday’s sixth race: Michael’s Marvel, David Miller, 8-1; Mystic Gold, Cat Manzi, 15-1; Mega Hall, Brian Sears, 15-1; Realiscape, Ron Pierce, 12-1; Pat’s All Star, Mike Lachance, 7-2; Jo Pa’s Shark, Jim Morrill, Jr., 8-1; Odds On Duane, John Campbell, 9-2; Four Starz Sisco, Eric Ledford, 5-2; Failsafe Hall, George Brennan, 12-1; and With Anticipation, Patrick Berry, 10-1.

Manzi wins five; career total hits 11,019

With five wins on Thursday night at the Meadowlands, Hall of Fame driver Cat Manzi moved to 11,019 in career victories, only nine shy of second place in the list of all-time leading North American dash winning drivers.

When Manzi surpasses the 11,027 total of Walter Case, Jr., he will trail only Herve Filion’s 15,103 victories.

Manzi, 54, had his latest five winner night on May 5. This year he already has 302 wins, 353 seconds and 215 thirds from 1,547 drives for earnings of $2.7 million toward his career total of $103 million.

His Thursday night winners came in the first race with Hypnotize ($7.80), fourth with Reynolds Hall ($19.80), fifth with Classical Man ($9.20), ninth with Flame ($10.80) and tenth with Art Of Gold ($15.60).

Around The Meadowlands for May 6, 2005

Loyal Opposition, the two-time Dan Patch award winner and co-fastest pacing mare (1:48.4) will be out until next month.

“She’s got an abscess in her foot that we have to get right,” said trainer Erv Miller of the five-year-old mare. “She headed home yesterday. I am planning on her being ready to return to action in June.”

Driver Patrick Berry will make his Berry’s Creek debut, driving With Anticipation. He will have to overcome post 10 with the son of Jenna’s Beach Boy.

“Last week I didn’t want to go three-deep with him on the final turn, so I stayed in,” Berry noted. “He hasn’t been out of gas finishing in either start. I think he’s got a good chance to be right there.”

Berry will handle Artbitration in Friday’s sixth race, the mares open pace, which marks the return to the Meadowlands of 2004 Horse of the Year Rainbow Blue.

“She can go either way,” Berry said of Artbitration. “I wanted to be a little more aggressive with her out of the gate at Dover. She got away fourth or fifth, and you don’t want to have to go first up against Rainbow Blue. I want to stay as close to her as I can. She’s good and ready. The fields at the Meadowlands are the most competitive of any racetrack I’ve been at. On the mile track, you have to drive and remember that the field cannot get away from you on the final turn. It’s a long stretch. Driving at Balmoral and Hawthorne a lot has helped me with being patient.”

Windylane Hanover, the 2002 Hambletonian Oaks winner, is prepping for a return to the races. She qualified on Friday morning (May 6) at the Meadowlands, finishing second by a length and timed in 1:58.2.

“Windylane Hanover is a couple of weeks away from coming back,” said owner Charlie Keller. “We missed the first Classic leg with her. Last year she was invited to Europe, but it was kind of a late invitation. We had a program all lined up for her and decided not to go. This year we have a nice racing schedule lined up for her. We’ve been trying to breed her, too, with no success so far.”

The six-year-old daughter of Lindy Lane has $1 million in earnings and a mark of 1:53. The Brett Bittle trainee has not raced since last August.

Both Joe Holloway and Larry Remmen have memories of past Berry’s Creek wins. Holloway won 10 years ago with No Standing Around in 1:51 and a stakes record margin of victory — nearly nine lengths. Remmen captured the 1997 edition with Raycer Thad.

“I think No Standing Around was the only horse who could have beaten Jenna’s Beach Boy that year,” said Holloway, who trained both horses. “Jenna (who would win 14 of 16 starts and divisional honors) got beat once by older horses and once by Village Connection. The older horses were his first start in 1:50; I don’t count that. The only other loss was after he made a break and just got beat. No Standing Around was a great colt. After the Berry’s Creek, he raced a few times at Pocono, but then he came up with a bad virus. He was put down. But believe me, he was a serious horse.”

A lot was expected of Raycer Thad, a son of the Remmen-trained champ, Beach Towel. Raycer Thad was the 1995 sales topper at $210,000.

“He was a big a strong horse like his sire Beach Towel,” said Larry Remmen, who trains in partnership with older brother, Ray. “They both looked alike that way. He’s one of those horses who made his money early on — some do. He was second to Megamind in his next start but not heard from much after that. With him, it was a case of right place at the right time.”