from Meadowlands Media Relations

Harness racing’s top two-year-olds will have their last chance to stamp themselves as contenders for end-of-year awards in the $1.7 million Fall Final Four on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

A quartet of stakes worth a combined $1.7 million, the Fall Final Four includes the $410,000 Goldsmith Maid for trotting fillies [race two], $432,700 Valley Victory for trotting colts [race four], $439,000 Three Diamonds for pacing fillies [race five] and $450,000 Governor’s Cup for pacing colts [race seven]. The evening also features drawings for one-of-a-kind hockey experiences with the New York Rangers. Post time is 7:30 p.m.

Pampered Princess and her entrymate Celebrity Speedie were installed as the 4-5 morning line favorite in the $410,000 Goldsmith Maid. Trained by Jimmy Takter, the nearly flawless filly picked up her tenth win this season with an effortless 1:56.4 mile in last week’s Goldsmith Maid eliminations. The likely divisional champion, she is owned by Bob Anderson of St. Thomas, Ontario and David Anderson of Hillsburgh, Ontario. A $240,000 yearling purchase, she has earned $626,244 thus far. The only blemish among her 11 career starts was a second-place finish in the $600,000 Breeders Crown on October 28 at Woodbine.

Pampered Princess drew post two and will be driven by Takter in the Goldsmith Maid Final, while her stablemate has the rail with Ron Pierce listed to drive.

“This is just a tremendous filly and deserves a shot in this race,” Takter noted. “[John Campbell, who had driven the filly until he was sideline with a broken leg] said she was the best two-year-old he’s ever sat behind, and that’s a pretty big statement.”

After a strong runner-up finish in last week’s prep race, Rushmore Hanover was given the slight edge as the 5-2 favorite in the $432,700 Valley Victory for trotting colts. Locked in and full of trot in the stretch, Rushmore Hanover finished three-quarters of a length behind prep winner Stunt Man Hall. Trained by brothers Ray and Larry Remmen, Rushmore Hanover has a win, four seconds and a third in eight starts with earnings of $62,972 so far this year. Earlier this season, he was second in the $56,325 Harriman Cup at the Meadowlands and third in an $82,800 division of the Bluegrass at the Red Mile. Rushmore Hanover drew post two in the Valley Victory final and will be driven by Andy Miller.

“I am very happy with the way he raced and how he finished,” Remmen said after the Valley Victory prep. “He showed he could go with these horses. With a good trip, we should have a shot. He will have a break after this, and we will bring him back in late spring.”

Isabella Blue Chip, the Sweetheart winner, was given the slight nod of 2-1 favorite in the $439,000 Three Diamonds for pacing fillies. She will start from post six with David Miller in the sulky. Trained by George Teague Jr., Isabella Blue Chip comes into the Three Diamonds with seven wins, three seconds and two thirds from 14 starts and earnings of $439,083. She took her lifetime mark of 1:52.2 in the $435,000 Sweetheart on August 4 and set a half-mile track and world record of 1:53.1 in the Standardbred Stakes on September 21 at the Delaware [Ohio] Fairgrounds. The daughter of Bettor’s Delight races for Patrick and Marianne Callahan’s Only Money Inc. of Hartley, Delaware, and Teague Inc. of Houston, Delaware.

Isabella Blue Chip will try to become only the fourth filly to possess both the Sweetheart and Three Diamonds crowns. Only on three occasions since the Sweetheart debuted in 1979 have the winners returned to capture the Three Diamonds: Freedom’s Friend in 1993, Immortality in 1992 and Miss Easy in 1990.

Artzina, another frontrunner for divisional honors, has earned the role of 2-1 favorite in the $450,000 Governor’s Cup for pacing colts. The son of Artiscape has been no worse than third in 11 of 12 starts this season for trainer Dylan Davis. His seven victories include the $221,176 Matron at Dover and $175,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final at the Meadowlands. New York City advertising mogul Kal Liebowitz bred the colt and shares ownership of him with Marc Rubach of West New York, New Jersey. Artzina will start from post four in the Governor’s Cup Final with Jack Moiseyev at the lines.

$410,000 Goldsmith Maid – Race 2

Head #, Post, Name, Driver, Trainer, ML

1, 1, Celebrity Speedie, Ron Pierce, Jimmy Takter, 4-5

1A, 2, Pampered Princess, Jimmy Takter, Jimmy Takter, 4-5

2, 3, Gerri’s Joy, David Miller, Noel Daley, 5-1

3, 4, Right On Renee, Andy Miller, Steve Elliott, 12-1

4, 5, Flash Lightning, Daniel Dube, Anthony Mannino, 10-1

5, 6, Falls For You, George Brennan, Mario Zuanetti, 8-1

6, 7, Undercover Lover, Mike Lachance, Lori Castranuovo, 10-1

7, 8, Constance Hall, Ron Pierce, Bob McIntosh, 12-1

8, 9, Michelle’s Angel, Brian Sears, Richard Norman, 10-1

9, 10, Madam Volo, Jan Johnson, Jan Johnson, 20-1

$432,700 Valley Victory – Race 4

Head #, Post, Name, Driver, Trainer, ML

1A, 11, Gladiator Lindy, Brian Sears, Frank Antonacci, 10-1

1, 7, The Bosses Lindy, Mike Lachance, Frank Antonacci, 10-1

2A, 9, Quite Easy, Jimmy Takter, Jimmy Takter, 3-1

2, 8, Snowboarder, Dave Palone, Jimmy Takter, 3-1

3, 1, Manfinity, George Brennan, Larry Rathbone, 10-1

4, 2, Rushmore Hanover, Andy Miller, Ray Remmen, 5-2

5, 3, Ogham, David Miller, Blair Burgess, 6-1

6, 4, Force Nine, Cat Manzi, Ross Croghan, 8-1

7, 5, Please Poppy, Stephen Smith, Karen Garland, 15-1

8, 6, Stonewalls Back, Bob Blanton Jr, Bob Blanton Jr, 20-1

9, 10, Stunt Man Hall, Toby Lynch Jr., Toby Lynch Jr., 9-2

$439,000 Three Diamonds – Race 5

Post, Name, Driver, Trainer, ML

1, Little Miss Dragon, Ron Pierce, Noel Daley, 3-1

2, Speed Date, Andy Miller, Ray Remmen, 15-1

3, Al’s Girl, Brian Sears, Jerry Silverman, 9-2

4, Catch The Show, Daniel Dube, Travis Alexander, 6-1

5, Current Hanover, George Brennan, Richard Norman, 8-1

6, Isabella Blue Chip, David Miller, George Teague , 2-1

7, Jayne’s Character, Yannick Gingrasl, Mickey Burke, 12-1

8, Tidewaterdragonfly, David Palone, Kelly O’Donnell, 8-1

$450,000 Governor’s Cup – Race 7

Post, Name, Driver, Trainer, ML

1, Pandoras Sox, Yannick Gingras, Joseph Poliseno, 15-1

2, Takeshigemichi, Daniel Dube, Anthony Mannino, 5-1

3, Always A Virgin, Andy Miller, Josh Green, 6-1

4, Artzina, Jack Moiseyev, Dylan Davis, 2-1

5, Hagi, Ron Pierce, Igor Vrablic, 10-1

6, Sutter Hanover, David Miller, Mark Harder, 7-2

7, Digital Z Tam, Patrick Lachance, Patrick Lachance, 15-1

8, Ghee’s House, Jack Baggitt Jr., Rob Siegelman, 10-1

9, Jim’s Guy, Ron Pierce, AnnaKarin Olsson, 20-1

10, Honky Tonk Hanover, Brian Sears, Richard Norman, 15-1