from Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – May 1, 2004 – Brandon’s Cowboy and Four Starzzz King were winners of their respective $25,000 elimination on Saturday night and lead the list of 10 three-year-old pacing colts advancing to the $260,000 Berry’s Creek Final on May 8 at the Meadowlands.

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Brandon’s Cowboy won the 1st elimination of the Berry’s Creek in 1:50.4, a lifetime best.

Brandon’s Cowboy [$3.40, $2.60, $2.20], winner of last week’s $76,750 Suslow Final, dug in to win his fourth in five starts this year for Martin Scharf of Lawrence, New York, in the fourth race, the first of the two eliminations.

Daniel Dube guided the Mark Ford trainee to a three-quarter-length tally over Georgia Pacific [$5.20, $3.40] in 1:50.4, a lifetime best. Cardholder [$5.00] was three lengths back in third. Driven To Win [fourth] and Windage Hanover [fifth] also qualified for the Berry’s Creek Final.

“So far, so good,” said Ford, who had originally thought he’d skip the Berry’s Creek. “We’re still tinkering with his bridle. He lets a horse get right next to him and then he goes. I don’t think he’s a top, top horse. He’s done everything we’ve asked of him and I’m anxious to see how he’ll be next week. I wasn’t going to enter him and on Monday I got a call and they asked me why I wasn’t entering him. I didn’t realize that the Berry’s Creek was for $260,000; I thought it was for less. So we changed plans. Right now we’re just worried about the Berry’s Creek, and how he’ll do next week.

Four Starzzz King [$4.80, $3.00, $2.60] won the second division of the Berry’s Creek, the seventh race by two lengths over Spirit of a Shark [$4.40, $4.60] in 1:51.2. Western Prince [$3.80] was third by two and a quarter lengths. Nineteenth Hole and Yankees In Seven, fourth and fifth respectively, also earned spots in the final.

Four Starzzz King, winner of the Junior Trendsetter and Matt’s Scooter Finals this winter, posted his seventh win in nine starts in 2004. The son of The Panderosa, a $51,000 yearling purchase for the FS Starzzzz Stables of Glenwood, New Jersey, paced the mile in 1:51.2. He now has a career bankroll of $163,167. Dave Sabatelli is his trainer.

“Once he’s in front, he gets a little lazy, but as soon as he has competition, he fights,” said Mike Lachance, the driver of Four Starzzz King. “This is the best I’ve seen him. When you need him, he’s there. He’s a good colt, a fighter.”

Older horses were on display in the second round of the Classic Series, making a stop at the Meadowlands on Saturday night before moving on to Mohawk Raceway in Ontario for both the third leg on May 29 and the $250,000 finals on June 5.

CLASSIC OAKS

In a pair of $60,000 Classic Oaks divisions, Windylane Hanover and Stroke Play were winners.

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Windylane Hanover coasted to a two and a half length victory in the first division of the Classic Oaks.

In the first division, carded as the second race, Windylane Hanover [$2.80, $2.20, $2.10] coasted to a two and a half length victory over Gypsy Balance [$7.00, $3.80]. Dresden Dolly [$2.60] held on for third by three and a half lengths.

Windylane Hanover, trained by Brett Bittle, scored her fourth win in six starts this year. The Dan Patch Award winner as 2003 Trotting Mare of the Year, Windylane Hanover trotted the mile in 1:54.2. She has a career bankroll of $871,978 for Charles Keller III, Charles Keller IV and Daniel Bittle, all of Frederick, Maryland.

“She’s quite a mare,” said winning driver Ron Pierce. “There were no problems at all. She came off the gate two fingers, relaxed.

Around the last turn she swelled up and took the bit. No one had enough in their tank to catch us.”

In the third race, Stroke Play [$2.80, $2.10, $2.10], the Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year in 2003, got up for a head victory over Scully FBI [$2.40, $2.40] in 1:55.4. Delmarmtha [$3.20] was third by three lengths.

Stroke Play, sent off as the 2-5 favorite, picked up her first win of the year in two starts. The victory pushed her earnings over the $800,000 mark for owner Jorgen Jahre of Sandefjord, Norway.

“She’s pretty much the same filly [as last year],” said Brian Sears, who drives Stroke Play. “She really came back good this year.

She really likes to fire by horses. I’m fortunate that we didn’t run into Windyland Hanover tonight, but I’m sure we’ll meet soon enough.”

Trainer Trond Smedshammer was a surprise attendee as he was supposed to be on a plane to Italy to see his free for all trotting star, HP Paque, in the Lotteria in Naples.

“There was a problem with the flight,” said Smedshammer, in the winner’s circle for the second Classic Oaks division. “Alitalia is on strike and the plane didn’t get here. I figured I wouldn’t get there in time so I might as well stay here.”

CLASSIC DISTAFF

Carolina Sunshine [$8.80, $4.00, $3.40] followed a third over trip, hooking up with Burning Point [$6.40, $4.00] at the wire and prevailed by a nose in the photo finish in the sixth race, the $85,000 Classic Distaff.

Jasper Avenue [$4.60] was third by a length and a quarter.

“We had a good plan to race her from behind, but the track sets up for a little bias and it worked out,” said Brian Sears, who drives Carolina Sunshine for the Let It Ride Stables of Delray Beach, Florida and Shari Watchman of Colts Neck, New Jersey. “There are a lot of good mares battling and they start softening each other up. She doesn’t mind picking it up at the end. She’s really sharp right now.”

The five-year-old mare, the co-world record older with a mark of 1:48.4, paced the mile in 1:50 flat.

“I thought she had a good shot from the eight hole,” said winning trainer Ross Croghan. “This is such an even bunch of mares and with such an even group, there’s always movement in the race and good fractions. More often than not, it sets it up for closers, especially on a big track. I always thought she’d be a second better if you saved her run until the top of the lane. Brian hasn’t put her under the whip all year.”

Carolina Sunshine has won five of 12 starts this year, including the finals of the Cape & Cutter and Overbid. Her career bankroll now tops $765,000.

TROTTING CLASSIC

Saint Johns Boy [$39.00, $13.00, $5.20] flew to a four-length victory over JM Van Gogh [$8.80, $4.00] in the $85,000 Trotting Classic, the eighth race.

Y Chance It [$2.60], who cut most of the fractions, held on for third.

Saint Johns Boy, driven by Mike Lachance and trained by Patrick Lachance, trotted the mile in a lifetime best of 1:53.2.

The six-year-old gelded son of Lindy Lane posted his first win in 13 starts this year.

Owned by M&M Harness Racing LLC of Suffern, New York, Saint Johns Boy improved his career bankroll to $374,366.

PACING CLASSIC

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Royal Mattjesty set a season’s record 1:48.4, winning the first of two $60,000 Pacing Classic divisions.

Royal Mattjesty [$21.80, $3.20, $2.10] set a season’s record 1:48.4, winning the tenth race, the first of two $60,000 Pacing Classic divisions.

John Campbell sent Royal Mattjesty to the lead and then gave way to the winner of his last six starts, Luckyisasluckydoes, as the horses paced a half in 53.4 and a three-quarters in 1:21.1. Campbell set Royal Mattjesty down in the stretch to chase down Luckyisasluckydoes [$2.10, $2.10], the 1-5 favorite with entrymate Eaton Road Kill, and caught him for the victory.

Armbro Animate [$2.10] was third by two lengths.

“I wanted to get up near the front and follow either Luckyisasluckydoes or Escape The Wind,” Campbell said in the winner’s circle. “I was looking for a two-hole somewhere along the line. He’s tough and consistent. [Luckyisasluckydoes] got away from me, but I got after my horse and he dug in. He kept going right to wire.”

Royal Mattjesty, trained by Nat Varty for Perretti Racing Stable of Cream Ridge, New Jersey, and John J. Rizzo of River Edge, New Jersey, now has two wins, three seconds and one third from nine starts this year and $895,273 in lifetime earnings.

Four Starzzz Shark [$3.20, $2.40, $2.10], driven by Mike Lachance and trained by Dave Sabatelli, captured the second Pacing Classic division, the 11th race, in 1:49.1.

It was three and three-quarter lengths to Life Source [$3.00, $2.40] in second and five lengths to Camcracker [$3.00] in third.

Four Starzzz Shark, racing for the FS Starzzzz Stables of Glenwood, New Jersey, is now two-for-two in 2004. The six-year-old son of Cam’s Card Shark has a career bankroll of $1,820,322.

“I knew he could be good early but this good, I was surprised,” said Sabatelli, who took over the training duties this year. “He’s real good now. He’s to be contended with.”