from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Life Source has the job of giant killer in Saturday night’s $114,600 Presidential Final at the Meadowlands.

While Gallo Blue Chip, the winner of four straight and the richest pacer of all time with $4.2 million in earnings, bids to win his second consecutive Presidential Final, there will be nine others attempting to dethrone the 2000 Horse of the Year, including Life Source.

The Presidential, carded as the fifth, shares the 13 race program with the $90,000 Complex Final, which is race six.

“I honestly think he (Life Source) can beat Gallo Blue Chip, depending on the trip,” said trainer Rich Banca. “Last week, he closed faster than anyone in his division after being used hard early and only got beat a head. He’s real good right now, as good as he’s been in a long time.”

Life Source could be described as the Rodney Dangerfield of the free for all pacing ranks where, despite his success and consistency over the years, he gets very little respect. Developed and campaigned until last fall by trainer Joe Holloway, the son of Life Sign set a world record for three-year-old pacing geldings of 1:48⁴ on Hambletonian Day in 2000. It still ranks as the fastest mile in Meadowlands history for a three-year-old pacer regardless of gender. He has raced against and beaten the best pacers in the sport for the past three years and has won faster than 1:51 for four consecutive seasons. He was the Classic Series champion in 2002 and has career earnings of $841,842, compiling a record of 25 wins, 17 seconds, and 18 thirds in 120 career starts.

“We bought him (Life Source) privately last fall for $80,000,” said Banca, who trains the horse for his father, Richard T. Banca of Vernon, New Jersey. “Gregg McNair had him in Ontario for Joe Holloway, and we pretty much left everything the same. He’s racing as good as any of them right now but doesn’t get any respect. He’s probably better with just one move in a mile. I have no idea how the race will unfold, but with post position eight, we’ll probably follow Cheyenne Rei who will probably try to follow Gallo Blue Chip.”

In his early years, Life Source had a reputation as a funny horse to drive, but Banca thinks he has found the perfect pilot in Hall of Famer Cat Manzi.

“Cat gets along with him (Life Source) real well and has done a great job,” said Banca. “Cat was coming over to Yonkers and driving some for me this fall and with Luc (Ouellette) leaving, I started using him at the Meadowlands, too. He’s done a great job and I’m happy to have him driving my horses.”

Banca normally races off his farm in Warwick, New York, which is just across the state line, but with extreme winter weather, he is currently stabled at the Meadowlands.

“We’ve got 15 head back here now,” said Banca. “With the winter weather, it was just too difficult to keep our track up, do the shipping and everything else. This is a lot more convenient.”

The field for the $114,600 Presidential Final (from the rail out): Royal Mattjesty, Jack Moiseyev; Jugular, Mike Lachance; Gallo Blue Chip, Daniel Dube; Rair Earth, David Miller; Cheyenne Rei, Brian Sears; Image Of Dawn, Patrick Lachance; Life Sizzles, Jim Morrill, Jr.; Life Source, Cat Manzi; Camcracker, George Brennan; and E Dee’s Cam, Ron Pierce. Jugular and E Dee’s Cam are coupled as the one entry, and Rair Earth and Camcracker as the two entry.

Trainer Randy Perry recovering

Longtime Meadowlands trainer Randy Perry is recovering from a broken right leg sustained when he slipped and fell on Monday morning.

“Randy had broken his leg at Pompano Park 30 years ago,” said Perry’s wife, Donna. “He had a plate put in which actually grew into the bone over the years. He broke his leg just underneath that plate so it took a lot of surgery by a specialist to fix things up. He’ll be sidelined a minimum of three months.”

Mrs. Perry reports that Randy, 59-years-old, underwent three hours of surgery on Monday night at Hackensack (NJ) University Medical Center.

Perry had four horses under his care at the Meadowlands and, in his absence, several other trainers and friends are watching after his stock and picking up the slack.

“The response from everyone has been amazing,” said Donna Perry. “By the time I got home from the hospital, there were so many phone calls from other trainers and all his fishing buddies, offering to help out. Randy has given out a lot over the years to help people, and now he’s getting it back.

“Even though he was in extreme pain, Randy never lost his sense of humor,” she noted. “Before going into surgery, he said ‘at least it didn’t happen during fishing season!'”

Around The Meadowlands for January 21, 2004

The final of the Clyde Hirt Series, delayed a week by a weather cancellation, will take place on Saturday, January 31.

Two $40,000 opens highlight the Friday program. Worldly Beauty, the $1.8 million daughter of Artsplace, makes her first start since October 18 in the fifth race mares open. Mike Lachance will be in the sulky of the Patrick Lachance-trainee.

She will face six others — Her Own Art, Carolina Sunshine, Stormies Girl, Figure The Odds, C’Mon Mama Cass and My Fantasy.

The co-featured open trot, the tenth race, also offers a field of seven: Sheffield, Will Sikes, Sundown Score, Diamond Goal, Victory Cruise, Golden Blend N and Saint Johns Boy.

The $75,000 Pick 4 pool guarantee continues each Saturday at the Meadowlands. Last Saturday, Meadowlands announcer and analyst Sam McKee successfully selected the Pick 4 for the in-house and simulcasting television audience. The 7-10-2-9 combination returned $3,543.

Through the first 11 nights of 2004 racing, the Meadowlands is averaging $605,545 in daily on-track handle and $3,117,000 in daily total harness handle. On-site, the total wagering for the 11 dates has been more than $25 million.