from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Weekends make the week — especially when there are three stakes finals and rich purses on the line at the Meadowlands.

Driver Yannick Gingras has solid chances in all three — the $85,000 Clyde Hirt Final, the fifth race on Friday night, and $116,600 Presidential Final (fifth race) and $85,000 Complex Final (seventh race), both on Saturday night’s Meadowlands program.

“I chose Renoir in the Clyde Hirt Final even though I think Crawdad is a better horse,” Gingras explained. “I’ve driven Renoir for a long time for my friend (trainer) Mark Beckwith. I don’t have much choice in my strategy. He can definitely pace home real good, and we’re just going to hope for a battle up front. He’s not the kind of horse you can use a couple of times early in the mile. I tried it and it didn’t work out. He’s a nice little horse that tries hard, and he’s got one brush. On January 6, I left with him (fading to ninth), and he was sick. That’s why he raced so bad that day.

“There are so many good horses in that final,” noted Gingras, who has moved into the Meadowlands Top 3 this year. “I think Devilfish is the one to beat. He wasn’t right last week, and if he’s back on his game they won’t come to within five lengths of him. If Devilfish doesn’t show up, then JK CU Later becomes the one to beat. He might be the one I could follow. I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up shooting up the rail. Renoir is better that way. With six or seven horses that could win it, there are going to be a lot of horses in the outer flow.”

The 27-year-old Gingras, a third generation horseman, was born in Greenfield Park, New York but grew up in Quebec. Last Saturday Gingras had four winners on the program, three while teamed with trainer John McDermott. He will be back behind McDermott trainees in both Saturday night stakes — guiding 2-1 morning line second choice Load The Dice in the Presidential and 7-2 Real Mean Art in the Complex.

“I used to have maybe just one horse at 5-1 or under on a given night, and I would have to drive him aggressively,” Gingras recalled. “Now I drive probably six or seven good contenders like that and you become more patient with them. Obviously, it’s paying off for me right now, so hopefully we’ll keep it going.

“Real Mean Art went some trip last week (to finish second), and he’s one of the top contenders in the Complex Final,” Gingras said. “Last week, I tried to move him to the front and that didn’t work out too good. He was hung into the turn, still cleared, and he got beat by a real good horse in Ewie Duncan. If I had the same perfect trip as him I might have beat him. He might be the one to beat in there, but I like my chances.

“In the first leg of the series (January 12), I was disappointed when I got locked in,” he added. “I told John (McDermott) I messed up. He told me not to worry about it. Last week, we stretched him out a little bit, but it was his third start on the comeback trail. So, he’s tighter and fresh, and going in the right direction.

“John’s other horse in there, Western Glory, has a big shot,” he said. “I raced him on the front end last week, and I don’t think that’s his trip. I was actually not sure who I was going to take, and I waited for the draw. John gave me the option, and that’s always nice to have. It’s all about having live clients like him. It’s definitely becoming more and more a trainer’s game.

“I really don’t know what happened to (favorite) Nuclear Breeze last week (in the second round of the Presidential),” Gingras noted. “Some people told me he didn’t look good warming up. Usually he’s a very sharp, quick horse, but I knew he wasn’t right when he struggled to clear and Brian Sears was getting after him.

“I drew good again (post three) this week, and Load The Dice is as sharp as could be,” he said. “I didn’t even kick out the earplugs, and I had plenty left. I couldn’t even pull him up after the race. I had to stop him at the fence. He’s really sharp right now. It’s easy when you go by a tired horse, but I really think I have the horse to beat. You can pretty much do anything you want with him.

“The week before he had missed three weeks, I had to use him pretty hard and he still finished second,” Gingras explained. “The way he raced last week is his kind of race. I should be able to let them settle and then move. He’s also good on the front, but I just don’t want to get him jammed in somewhere. I just want to have a clear shot.

“I raced Load The Dice as a 2-year-old, and he was tremendous, but he wouldn’t try all the time,” Gingras added. “Also, he had a couple of bad luck trips like coming first over in the Metro. After he was sold last year, they gelded him and that made a big time difference. Maybe he was meant to be a better older horse. He grew up and now he gives you everything he’s got.”

$85,000 Clyde Hirt Final (5th Race, January 26): Michelles Gemstone, Brian Sears, 4-1; Western Shore, George Brennan, even; JK CU Later, Ron Pierce, 5-2; Carr’s Character, Daniel Dube, 4-1; Ideal Michael, Cat Manzi, 4-1; Crawdad, Tim Tetrick, even; Devilfish, Andy Miller, even; Model Rellim, Tony Morgan, 10-1; Renoir, Yannick Gingras, 8-1; and Wonderful One, David Miller, 12-1.

Michelles Gemstone, Carr’s Character and Ideal Michael are the Mark Silva-trained entry. Western Shore, Crawdad and Devilfish are the Erv Miller trained entry.

$116,600 Presidential Final (5th Race, January 27): All Over The Place, Ron Pierce, 8-1; Escapable Beaux, David Miller, 15-1; Load The Dice, Yannick Gingras, 2-1; Hop Sing, George Brennan, 10-1; Roddy’s Bags Again, Mike Lachance, 5-1; Nuclear Breeze, Brian Sears, 7-5; Bay Sign, Jonathan Roberts, 15-1; and Our First Falcon N, Ron Cushing, 15-1.

$85,000 Complex Final (7th Race, January 27): Real Mean Art, Yannick Gingras, 7-2; Armbro Dublin, Andy Miller, 15-1; Super Eighty Eight, Daniel Dube, 6-1; Ewie Duncan N, David Miller, 5-2; Odds On BP, George Brennan, 9-2; AB’s Beach Boy, Mike Lachance, 15-1; White Hot Cards, Ron Pierce, 10-1; Royal Man, Cat Manzi, 10-1; Western Glory, Jim Marohn, Jr., 15-1; and South Park Hanover, Brian Sears, 8-1.