from Meadowlands Media Relations

A quartet of stakes events for two-year-olds highlight the racing action at the Meadowlands, leading up to Hambletonian Day, Saturday, August 7.

Two-year-old trotters take center stage in the $420,000 Peter Haughton Memorial for colts and the $450,620 Merrie Annabelle for fillies on Thursday night. Freshman pacers step out in the $432,000 Woodrow Wilson for colts and the $443,200 Sweetheart for fillies on Friday.

After a wire-to-wire effort in his prep race, Northern Kid from the stable of Larry and Ray Remmen appears to be the one to beat in the Peter Haughton Memorial. The son of Muscles Yankee trotted to a 1:58.3 victory, his second win in four career starts. Owned by Jim Petrucelli, Northern Kid was a $40,000 yearling purchase at the Tattersalls Sale.

His other career victory came in a $25,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes leg at the Meadowlands.

The Jimmy Takter-trained Solveig will try to rebound from a miscue in her prep race for the Merrie Annabelle. Making her first pari-mutuel start, Solveig broke stride at the three-quarter pole and finished ninth. Prior to that race, Solveig was an impressive 1:58.2 winner in non-wagering competition at the Meadowlands. A $48,000 yearling purchase at the Kentucky Standardbred Sale, Solveig is the third foal out of Exquisite Amanda by Yankee Glide. Her full brother On Tour, has earned $294,035 in three years of racing with a mark of 1:57.3.

The Sweetheart field is topped by a pair of elimination winners, Latte Lady and Crystal Slipper, and elim runner-up Up Front Norma, a winner of four of seven starts this year. Latte Lady scored her third straight win with a 1:55.4 upset over 3-5 favorite Up Front Norma in their Sweetheart elimination. Trained by Joe Seekman, the daughter of Jenna’s Beach Boy races for Linda and Lee DeVisser, Steel A Mile [Wallace Ryzenga] and Jerry Machiela, all of Holland, Michigan. She was a $50,000 yearling purchase at the Kentucky Standardbred Sale.

The Woodrow Wilson is a wide-open event led by elimination winners Western Trader and Village Jolt.

A modest $7,000 yearling purchase, pint-sized Western Trader capitalized on a pocket trip to win his Wilson elim by a neck in 1:53

for trainer Tom Coddington. It was his first pari-mutuel victory.

Similarly, Village Jolt was a neck winner over Up Front Charlie in the second elim. Trained by Ed Hart, Village Jolt bounced back from a respiratory infection for his third win in four starts. He was sold for $50,000 as a yearling at Harrisburg.

DRAGON AGAIN CONNECTIONS HAVE SUCCESS WITH FIRST CROP

Trainer Kelly O’Donnell and owner Ed Mullinax are enjoying success with two-year-olds from the first crop by their multi-millionaire pacer Dragon Again.

Next Friday night, they will send out three of Dragon Again’s offspring in a pair of pacing stakes for two-year-olds at the

Meadowlands: Up Front Norma in the $443,200 Sweetheart Final, and Up Front Charlie and Up Front Jerry in the $432,000 Woodrow Wilson Final.

O’Donnell and Mullinax campaigned Dragon Again to $2.3 million in earnings as one of the sport’s top open pacers from 1997 to 2000.

Up Front Norma was a $25,000 yearling purchase at the Harrisburg Sale. She had her winning streak snapped at four races by pocket sitter

Latte Lady in the Sweetheart eliminations.

“She’s been a good filly all along,” O’Donnell said. “It’s kind of fun training something by the sire of the colt that you bought and raced, and raced his whole career.

“It’s a little disappointing tonight after getting beat,” O’Donnell said after the Sweetheart elim. “Her fractions were a little soft. I thought she would have kicked home pretty easy. It’s going to depend on the post she draws and what kind of trip she gets. I would have felt better if she had held on and won tonight. She hasn’t really been beat yet until tonight.”

After setting the fractions, Up Front Charlie gave way in the final strides to Village Jolt in his Wilson elimination. A $100,000 yearling purchase at Harrisburg, Up Front Charlie has won three of six starts this season, including the $68,200 Niatross at the Meadowlands.

Up Front Jerry rallied off a second-over trip to finish third, just a half-length behind the winner Western Trader in his Wilson elim.

The first foal out of Michelene’s Lair, Up Front Jerry was bought for $60,000 as a yearling at Tattersalls. Up Front Jerry has finished second or third in all six of his career starts.

All of the pacers were renamed with Mullinax’s signature prefix, “Up Front.”

“[Ed] was at one time the world’s largest Ford dealer,” O’Donnell explained. “He came up with the idea of putting the price up front on the car, so he names all his horses Up Front.”

2004 HAMBLETONIAN WEEK AT A GLANCE

Monday, August 2

* 12th Annual Hambletonian Golf Tournament at Montclair Golf Club in West Orange, NJ

* Player registration $400. Sponsorships from $500 to $10,000 available.

* Contacts: Moira Fanning, 732-249-8500

Tuesday, August 3

* Post Position draws for the $1 million Hambletonian Final and $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks

* Live audio of the Hambletonian Press Conference begins at 1 p.m. on www.thebigm.com Wednesday, August 4 — Post time 7:30 p.m.

* Hambletonian Amateur Drivers Events beginning at 6:40 p.m.

* Superfectas in every race

* Hambletonian Wine Celebration in Pegasus West. Wine tasting and dinner [includes tax, admission and program]. Price $59 per person. Thursday, August 5 — Post Time 7:30 p.m.

* $400,000 Peter Haughton Memorial [2yo colt trot]

* $350,000 Merrie Annabelle [2yo filly trot]

* Superfectas in every race

* Rides & carnival games in Paddock Park, 6 to 10 p.m.

Friday, August 6 — Post Time 7:30 p.m.

* $443,200 Sweetheart [2yo filly pace]

* $432,000 Woodrow Wilson [2yo colt pace]

* $50,000 Townsend Ackerman [3yo colt trot]

* $30,000 Duenna [3yo filly trot]

* Superfectas in every race

* Rides & carnival games in Paddock Park, 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, August 7 — Hambletonian Day – Post Time 11:30 a.m.

* Gates open at 9 a.m.

* Party Dolls in Paddock Park from Noon to 4 p.m.

* Hambletonian hat for adults (to paid admissions, while supplies

last)

* Mini personal fan for children

* Free amusement rides, carnival games, clowns, face painters, pony rides, strolling characters in Paddock Park from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

* National anthem singer Constance Lanpher, a third generation horseperson

* $1 million Hambletonian [3yo colt trot]

* $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks [3yo filly trot]

* $350,000 US Pacing Championship [Free For All pace]

* $310,000 Mistletoe Shalee [3yo filly pace] — Rainbow Blue bids for 17 in a row!

* $300,000 Nat Ray Invitational [Free For All trot] – Europe’s top trotters Revenue & Legendary Lover K take on North America’s best

* $275,000 Oliver Wendell Holmes [3yo colt pace]

* $175,000 Golden Girls [FFA mares pace]

* Superfectas in every race

* $75,000 Pick 4 Guarantee