from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — In a way, Jo Pa’s Shark is trainer Jim Campbell’s gift horse. The three-year-old pacer was transferred to Campbell’s barn earlier in the month and now he is one of the 10 finalists in Saturday night’s $500,000 SBOA/ New Jersey Classic, the seventh race at the Meadowlands.

Since landing in Campbell’s care, the son of Cam’s Card Shark has finished second in a New Jersey Sires Stakes division on May 14 and second in his New Jersey Classic elim last week.

“If I’m second again there are a lot worse things that could happen,” mused Campbell. “The bottom line is I’m just happy to have a horse in a race like this.

“Jo Pa’s Shark came in a ready horse from a top barn and had some starts under his belt,” he noted. “It certainly makes things easier for me, and it’s nice to get a horse of his caliber.”

Jo Pa’s Shark, rated 10-1 in the morning line from post seven with Eric Ledford driving, comes into the New Jersey Classic with two wins, four seconds and three thirds from 18 career starts and earnings of $75,727. At two, he was campaigned by Thomas Jackson and moved into the Mark Harder barn at three until after his fifth place finish in the Berry’s Creek.

“It was a difference of opinion between Mark and the Emposimatos,” said Campbell.

“I trained my first horse for the Emposimato Stables back in 1988, and it’s good to be working for classy people like them again,” Campbell said.

The Emposimato Stable is 68-year-old Paul Emposimato, Jr. of Holmdel, New Jersey, an airfreight forwarder, who has owned horses for 20 years. The Jo Pa suffix in the name of many of his horses is a combination of the first names of his wife, Joyce, and himself.

The Emposimato Stable finished eighth with Cape Crusader in the 1993 New Jersey Classic.

Campbell trained Cape Crusader and also had New Jersey Classic finalists in 1987 with Run The Table (who finished second), in 1990 with Odds Against (fourth), in 1992 with Run The Gauntlet (third), in 1997 with Hard To Pass (eighth) and Park Place (second) and 2000 with He’s Artstanding (sixth).

“Things have changed a lot since I finished second to Jate Lobell with Run The Table in 1987,” recalled Campbell, who is based at White Birch Farm in Allentown, New Jersey with 14 horses. “Back then, my horses were all stabled at the Meadowlands and now the racing is more aggressive. That year, as it turned out there were four or five horses that could win at any time, and the good horses could win with a tough trip. It was a competitive year. Now you see a different horse winning the big races almost every week. The current style and demands on them makes it tough for a horse to stay at the top level week in and week out now. There are a lot of horses today that can go fast and win with a trip.”

For Jo Pa’s Shark, the New Jersey Classic and New Jersey Sires Stakes will be his best opportunities to add to his earnings. He is not eligible to the $1 million Meadowlands Pace.

“I trained him today (Wednesday), and I was thinking of switching him to an open bridle, but I’m going to see how he warms up on Saturday,” said Campbell. “He has raced in an open bridle before so I don’t see it being a problem. He’s got some speed, and hopefully he can use that to maintain a good position. You don’t want to be too far out of it, but you also don’t want to get mixed up in a nasty speed duel.

“It seems like you can’t go wrong with a Cam’s Card Shark,” he added. “They’re just a great breed of horse. It’s got to be the Cam Fella influence. He’s dominating this one and when you see one in a claimer you always take a second look.

“It’s been quite a few years since I’ve been involved with claimers, and my hats off to the stables that do this on a regular basis,” the 43-year-old Ontario native said. “There’s a lot of time and effort involved in being successful at it. Nothing is easy in this business, but that’s just a real tough part of it. A lot of misconceptions in this business are created because some people have no idea how hard these trainers with a higher volume of overnight horses are working.

“We started with nine two-year-olds, so far all nine are still going and I’m pretty happy with them,” said Campbell, the younger brother of Hall of Fame driver John Campbell.

The New Jersey Classic and its filly companion event, the Miss New Jersey, usher in the Championship Meet at the Meadowlands that runs through Hambletonian Day, August 6, and features more than $15 million in stakes.

Miss New Jersey Erica Scanlon of Pittman, New Jersey will present the trophy to the equine winner of the Miss New Jersey. Scanlon will also assist in drawing the winner of the “Name the Foal Contest” held in honor of the first foal delivered by champion mare Worldly Beauty, who won the Miss New Jersey in 2002.

The Meadowlands will be closed on Sunday but open for daytime racing on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, featuring a portable sports seat giveaway (to paid admissions, while supplies last). First race post time is 1:10 p.m. on May 30. Thereafter, the racing schedule is Wednesday through Saturday nights; post time is 7:30 p.m.

The fields for Saturday night’s Miss New Jersey and New Jersey Classic (in post position order, with driver changes):

Fifth Race — $200,000 Miss New Jersey: Righteous Renee, Eric Ledford, 15-1; Vegas Style, Yannick Gingras, 8-1; Ideal News, David Miller, 6-5; Savannah Sky, John Campbell, 7-2; Unspoken, George Brennan, 10-1; Tarport Erin, Mike Lachance, 12-1; Freezer Cash, Cat Manzi, 5-1; Secret Deal, Brian Sears, 15-1; Make Me Money, Jim Morrill. Jr., 15-1; and Copywriter, Ron Pierce, 6-5.

Seventh Race — $500,000 SBOA/New Jersey Classic: Strong Player, George Brennan, 8-1; George At Bigs, Jim Morrill, Jr., 15-1; Village Jolt, Ron Pierce, 4-1; Cam’s Fool, John Campbell, 6-1; South Park Hanover, Yannick Gingras, 15-1; Dr Zip, Mike Lachance, 15-1; Jo Pa’s Shark, Eric Ledford, 10-1; You Tell Gordy, Cat Manzi, 20-1; Rocknroll Hanover, Brian Sears, 9-5; and Load The Dice, David Miller, 5-1.

Chucaro Ahijuna carries USA banner in Elitlopp

The Meadowlands will be the only North American track betting into the Swedish pools for Sunday’s Elitlopp from Stockholm’s Solvalla Racecourse.

The simulcast of races eight through 12 from Solvalla begins at 10:30 a.m. Meadowlands gates will open at 10:00 a.m.

Among the familiar names in Sweden’s premier event will be Chucaro Ahijuna, Civil Action and 2001 Hambletonian winner Scarlet Knight.

Florida-based Wally Hennessey will be heading to Sweden to drive Chucaro Ahijuna, who won the Mack Lobell at Pompano Park, the Dover leg of the Classic Series and competed in the free for all ranks at the Meadowlands, in the double-heat Elitlopp. Hennessey captured the 1998 Elitlopp (also known as Elitloppet) with the last American representative to win the race, Moni Maker.

For the complete list of previous Elitlopp winners, visit the Solvalla Racecourse website: http://www.solvalla.se/evenemang/elitloppet_hist.php