from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — With last week’s winner drawing outside and two new additions to the field, there will be plenty of unknown factors in round two of the Aquarius Series, the $35,000 third race on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

The top 10 money earners in the series return for the $78,250 Aquarius Final on February 26, part of the Winter Festival weekend at the Meadowlands.

The two new entrants in the Aquarius, a series for four-year-old pacers, are both owned by James Jesk of Lemont, Illinois and from the barn of trainer Seldon Ledford — Fox Valley Gallant and Town Champion.

Both are making their first starts since November. Each had a pair of qualifiers with Eric Ledford, Seldon’s son, in the sulky. Eric will handle Town Champion from post eight (betting number 2A) while George Brennan will get the call on Fox Valley Gallant (post seven, betting number two).

“He qualified fantastic,” Eric Ledford said of Fox Valley Gallant. “We’ve had him since he was a yearling. This will be his first Meadowlands start. He won on Super Night in Chicago last year. We already know that he likes the big track. He won in 1:49.1 at Lexington (on October 6). Then, his next start, he went 1:50 on the half-miler (1:50.3 at Maywood Park on October 22). I think he fits nicely into this series.”

Last year the son of Sportsmaster earned nearly $180,000 with eight wins, three seconds and three thirds from 21 starts.

Town Champion finished in the money in 10 of 24 starts at three, earning $84,979 in 2004.

“We got him the start before his November 12 line at Maywood,” Ledford noted. “We bought him privately. He qualified fantastic, too, a strong horse. We’re not sure where he fits in as of yet though.”

Live Out Loud, who won last week’s opening round of the Aquarius, leaves from post nine this week (betting number seven) with trainer Patrick Lachance in the sulky.

“He was both good and lucky last week,” said Lachance. “With post nine here, he is definitely going to need some racing luck. But he’s a really good horse and fits perfectly in with these.”

Circle L Kid (post two, betting number 1A) is coupled in the wagering with Armbro Balmoral and rated the 5-2 morning line favorite.

“He was okay last week (finishing fourth), just excess cover really,” said driver Yannick Gingras. “He passed three or four horses late in the mile. He’s a nice horse, and this is an evenly matched field. But he’d have to be lucky to win this.”

Driver Cat Manzi describes You Rock (post and betting number four) as a “work still in progress, very much so. I can’t judge him yet on the two starts that I drove him.”

Driven To Win (post five, betting number five) earned more than $244,000 last year with a lot of seconds and thirds to his credit. Last week he was teamed with Brian Sears and closed to finish fifth.

“He needed that start last week,” said Sears. “He raced okay, finished up fine. But that start will help him this week.”

The field for the $35,000 Aquarius, from the rail out: Armbro Balmoral, John Campbell, 5-2; Circle L Kid, Yannick Gingras, 5-2; Skydancer Hanover, David Miller, 7-2; You Rock, Cat Manzi, 8-1; Driven To Win, Brian Sears, 12-1; Brandon’s Cowboy, Daniel Dube, 6-1; Fox Valley Gallant, George Brennan, 6-1; Town Champion, Eric Ledford, 6-1; Live Out Loud, Patrick Lachance, 4-1; and Rapid Dialing, Ron Pierce, 15-1.

Around The Meadowlands for February 18, 2005

Brandon’s Cowboy cut the mile in the first round of the Aquarius, fading to third.

“He raced very well last week I thought,” said trainer Mark Ford. “We had some problems with him in the fall, some nagging things here and there. But he’s come out of it pretty well. He held well for a long time last week, longer than I thought he would.”

Brent Holland has high expectations for New Zealand-bred Johnny Be Cool.

“Johnny Be Cool N has been a good horse ever since he came over here, since day one,” said Holland. “He raced in the American-National last year, against Peruvian Hanover and Royal Mattjesty. He was competitive against those kinds of horses. But he wasn’t as sharp at the time. Now, he’s doing well. He won in 1:49.4, and then last week in the $80,000 Invitational, he got a perfect trip. Right now, they’re looking to stake him into some of the bigger events this year. I don’t see any reason why he can’t go with some of the best older horses.”

When Yulestar N, now 11, pushed his earnings to $1,057,720 on Saturday night, he became the 19th Brett Pelling-trainee to surpass the million dollar mark.

Landmark Hall, who had a great spring and summer with the Mark and Tammy Silva barn last year at the Meadowlands before being claimed by M & M Harness, was claimed back for $75,000 and races again for the Silvas in this Saturday night’s tenth race.

Before he headed off for a vacation in Puerto Rico, trainer Robbie Siegelman reported that Cheyenne Rei would likely begin his comeback at Dover Downs in Delaware.

“He’s got $70,000 last six starts on his card, and I think it would be better for him if he raced five or six starts at Dover,” Siegelman said. “We’ll get a better idea of where he’s at then. It would be awfully tough for him to come back and jump right in here at the Meadowlands with the best older pacers.”

Mark Ford is prepping Street Sign for a return to the races, too.

“He had major throat surgery about six weeks ago,” said Ford. “He’s gotten over it well and seems sharp.”

Meadowlands Media Relations Director Carol Hodes was presented with the Golden Pen Award for excellence in publicity and marketing by the Standardbred Marketing and Media Association (formerly the Harness Publicists Association) at the Dan Patch Awards Banquet on February 13 at Caesar’s in Atlantic City. Hodes has been a Meadowlands publicist for nearly 24 years.