from the Meadowlands Media Relations Department

East Rutherford, NJ — The first leg of the Graduate series for 4-year-old trotters, a Grand Circuit stake, highlights an intriguing 12-race extravaganza on Saturday (May 20) at The Meadowlands.

A full field of ten talented trotters are set to contest the $75,000 first of three preliminary legs. Leg two is scheduled for June 3 at Mohawk and leg three at Tioga Downs on June 11 leading to the $250,000 (est.) final on July 8, also at The Meadowlands.

Lisa photo

Dayson leads the field into Saturday’s Graduate leg.

Dayson has drawn the rail and the favorite’s role in Saturday’s race, his third seasonal start following a pair of fourth place finishes in overnight preps. The winner of two-thirds of his career starts and more than $665,000 took his 1:51.2 career mark in the Townsend Ackerman stake over the Meadowlands mile last summer. He will race with Lasix for the first time on Saturday.

Ron Burke trains Dayson for his own interest as Burke Racing along with partners Our Horse Cents, J&T Silva and Rossie Smith. Yannick Gingras will drive.

The competition is led by double Dan Patch Award winner Broadway Donna (David Miller) representing the fairer sex, last year’s Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champ Cufflink Hanover (Andy Miller) and Yonkers invader Taco Tuesday (Jason Bartlett).

It should be an interesting race.

The supporting card is strong with full and competitive fields the order of the day.

Saturday is Preakness Day so the action will be hot and heavy all day long with the gates opening at 9:30 a.m.