East Rutherford, NJ – Friday night (July 7) featured hot temperatures in the low 80s at post time for the first race when both MADC pace races had winners coming from off the pace. The races were hotly contested and exciting had finishes as always.

Rock To Glory and driver Bruno Chiodo won the first of two MADC races on Friday night at The Meadowlands. Lisa Photo.

In the first race, Father Fred (Newton “Yogi” Sheridan) was hard used through a torrid first quarter that was timed in :26.2. He rationed down the leader’s speed through the second and third quarters but in the stretch, the horse faltered and faded out of contention. The outer tier developed just before the half and when the field entered the stretch, pacers were three and four wide as they tried to gain top billing.

In the end, it was the classy veteran Rock To Glory (Bruno Chiodo) who got up for the win by just over a half of length, putting Deerfield Beach (Anthony Verruso) into second. Another two lengths back was longshot, Moonwards Hanover (Juan Cano) who rounded out the trifecta. The mile went in 1:54.1. The 15-year old warhorse is owned by Chiodo Racing LLC out of NJ and is trained by Stacy Chiodo.

In the fifth race, it was once again Somwherenbrookln N (Newton “Yogi” Sheridan), who seems to be leaving with everything these days, who took the early lead and this time he posted a sensible :28 second first quarter. He handed out the parking ticket this week to Ideal Suspect (Dominik Miga), who tried to leave from his outside post, but was out for the entire mile and faded in the stretch along with Sheridan. The outer tier was once again in high gear as the field turned for home and horses were coming from all angles to try to gain victory.

It was the second choice, Brazen Brazilian (Michael Kimelman) who carried his momentum to victory by just over a length to defeat longshot, Sunshine’s Finest (William Clark Jr.), while Rockabilly Charm (Anthony Verruso) picked up the show dough. The mile was timed in 1:54.3. The 6-year old gelding is family owned by Kimelman himself, along with his wife and daughter, Sara and Olivia, out of NY and is trained by the winning driver as well.

The MADC will be back Saturday night (July 8) on the Meadowlands Pace eliminations card with two events in the first and fourth races. The first post scheduled for 6:20 p.m.