from Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – March 11, 2005 – Loyal Opposition [$5.40, $3.40, $2.60] found room up the pylons and coasted to a two and a half length victory in the $50,000 opening round of the Overbid Series, the fifth race on Friday night at the Meadowlands.

The 2004 Older Pacing Mare of the Year, Loyal Opposition has now won three of five starts this year. She paced the mile in 1:51.3

Odds On Charmaine [$5.80, $3.60] edged out Ascending [$4.40] for second.

“We had a perfect trip tonight and a good horse to follow in Feathery Fame,” said winning driver George Brennan. “I didn’t have to use her too hard. I won the Milton and Lady Liberty with her last year, and if she can get trips like that this year, she can go some of those big miles again.”

Brennan tucked Loyal Opposition behind Feathery Fame, the Cape & Cutter winner, off the gate and sat in the two-hole until finding room up the inside when Feathery Fame drifted.

Loyal Opposition, trained by Ervin Miller and owned by Daniel Waxman of Ancaster, Ontario, pushed her career bankroll to $1,908,653.

The Overbid for free for all pacing mares continues next week with a final worth $122,000 on March 25.

In the $42,500 open trot, carded as the third race, Approved Action [$11.20, $6.40, $4.60] held off Sundown Score [$5.80, $3.60] for a nose victory in 1:55.4. ENS Snapshot [$4.40], making his second start since 2003, was third by a head in a photo finish.

“When I qualified him back [on February 18], I knew he was better than he had been in a long time,” said winning driver Rejean Daigneault. “We changed a little piece of equipment [Cornell collar], and he no longer flips his palate at all. He was having problems with that and stopping. His attitude is as good as when he was a three year old. He goes to the Su Mac Lad next, and he’s paid into the big races, too. We’ll see if he’s good enough.”

Approved Action now has two wins in two starts for owner-breeder-trainer John Grasso of Hawthorne, New York. At three he dominated the New York Sire Stakes and was runner-up in the Yonkers Trot, banking $336,381 that year.

Now eight, the gelded son of Sir Taurus has a lifetime record of 30 wins, 14 seconds and seven thirds from 91 starts and earnings of more than $700,000.