from Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – May 15, 2004 – Four Starzzz Shark [$2.80, $2.40, $2.10] cruised to a four-length victory and set a stakes record of 1:48.1 in the $285,000 Graduate Final on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

The runner-up in last year’s Graduate exacted a decisive victory, his third in four starts this year.

Driver Mike Lachance, capturing his fourth Graduate, put the six-year-old on the lead by the half and it was only a race against the clock through the stretch.

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Spirit Of A Shark paced the fastest mile this season by a 3-year-old (1:49.4) in the first division of New Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

The 1:48.1 mile was two-fifths faster than the stakes record shared by Western Ideal [2000] and E Dee’s Cam [2003] and the fastest mile paced in North America this year.

“I knew he was in super shape for tonight,” said Lachance. “I was sitting on a lot of horse. I pulled the plugs [ear plugs] at the top of the stretch, and he just was very strong to the wire. He’s quick and so far it is hard for me to say, I only drove him four times, but he’s a tremendous horse.”

Four Starzzz Shark, trained by Dave Sabatelli and owned by the FS Starzzzz Stables Inc. of Glenwood, New Jersey, pushed his career earnings to $1,975,322.

Escape The Wind [$3.40, $2.80], driven by Roger Mayotte, was second. It was five lengths to Boulder Creek [$3.40] in third.

“This is a world champion, and we’re just happy to be part of his success,” said Jeff Cohen, who with Mike Sudaley races as the FS Starzzzz Stables. “We have $4.7 million in stakes schedule, and we just hope we get a good chunk of that. I don’t know where his bottom is.”

War Paint [$3.80, $3.20, $2.40] coasted to a three and three-quarter-length victory over Approved Action [$15.80, $6.20] in the $180,000 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial Final, the fifth race.

John Campbell moved 4-5 War Paint to the lead at the quarter and was never tested. The five-year-old trotted the mile in a lifetime best of 1:53. Elegant Man [$2.80] was third by four lengths.

“Dave [trainer David Tingley] told me about him, to be careful with him coming out of the gate,” said Campbell after winning his first Cutler. “He thrives with horses coming at him. I was able to rate him the middle half. He trotted strongly in the stretch. He was eased up finishing. He’s a colt that’s going to get better. He has a bright future.”

War Paint, the winner of 14 of 18 career starts, had a slow start. He didn’t reach the races until he was four and a year later is facing and defeating the best free for all trotters in training.

“He’s just a great horse,” said Tingley. “He’s not the easiest to train, and he has a few tricks. He wasn’t a 100 percent tonight. I didn’t get him until he was four. He had no money on his card. He got his confidence by working up the ladder [in Ontario]. We staked him up this year. He has a lot more speed than that.”

War Paint, a $55,000 yearling purchase, has rewarded the patience of his owners — Joseph and Barbara Myers of Jamesville, Virginia; Peter Goldberg of Sandwich, Massachusetts, and Murray Goldberg of Longboat Key, Florida – by earning $232,252.

Modern Art [$8.60, $5.20, $2.40], the 2003 Woodrow Wilson winner, won his season’s debut, the third race, the last of three $25,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, in a lifetime best of 1:50.2.

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Modern Art won his season’s debut over Whodunit and I Am A Fool in 1:50.2.

David Miller guided Modern Art to a length and a quarter victory over Whodunit [$5.40, $2.20]. It was three lengths back to 3-5 favorite I Am A Fool [$2.10], the Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year in 2003, in third.

“He’s come back more mentally prepared, more aggressive and racy than last year,” said Miller. “He’s been a good horse from the go. He was real comfortable the whole way. He paced good all through the stretch.”

Modern Art, trained by Joe Holloway, was first or second in 12 of 13 starts last year, banking more than $719,000 for the partnership of Val D’Or Farms of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey; Milton and Martha Frank of Fair Lawn, New Jersey and Ted Gewertz of New York City.

He will be making his next start in the May 22 elims for the $500,000 SBOA/New Jersey Classic.

In the other two New Jersey Sire Stakes, Spirit Of A Shark [$3.40, $2.40, $2.20] won by four lengths over Timesareachanging in 1:49.4 and Falcatraz [$20.20, $8.60, $6.00] by a neck over All My Life in 1:52.

A crowd of 8,314 turned out at the Meadowlands to watch and wager on the Preakness Day simulcasting program. With $896,261 bet on the Preakness at the Meadowlands and another $537,258 at Monmouth Park, the two New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority tracks combined for a handle of $1,433,519, an increase of 32.4 percent over last year. The total for all the daytime signals of $2,506,288 was up 5.6 percent over 2003.