from Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – July 10, 2004 – Four Starzzz Shark [$2.80, $2.10] pressured the entire mile, repelled all challengers and drew off to a two and a quarter length victory to capture the William R. Haughton Memorial for the second time on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Four Starzzz Shark had won the Haughton in 2002 and finished fourth in 2003. This year’s Haughton, at $700,000, was the richest older pace in the sport and the winner’s share pushed his career earnings to nearly $2.5 million.

It was the six-year-old’s sixth consecutive victory and eighth in nine starts this year. He has a lifetime record o f24 wins, 20 seconds and six thirds from 71 starts.

“He’s just getting better all the time,” said Mike Lachance, who drove his sixth Haughton winner. “He was getting a little tired because he was pressed all the way. It was a bigger mile than he went last week [when he set an older pacer world record of 1:47.4].”

“He’s such a great horse and proved it tonight,” said Dave Sabatelli, enjoying the biggest win of his training career. “He was pressured the whole way. It’s a thrill to train him. He’ll be back three more times at the Meadowlands – Breeders Crown elims, hopefully, the final and US Pacing Championship.”

Life Source [$2.60], who like Four Starzzz Shark was a Haughton elim winner, finished second. It was four and a quarter lengths to Allamerican Captor in third. There was no show wagering.

Boulder Creek, who battled Four Starzzz Shark in the first turn, faded to seventh.

“That’s the wrong horse [Four Starzzz Shark] to get locked up with,” acknowledged Ron Pierce, the driver of Boulder Creek. “He’s a horse you can’t pace around. I was hoping for a break coming around the first turn, but I just never got it.”

PACE ELIMS GO TO CIRCLE L KID, GEARTOGEAR & TIMESAREACHANGING

Timesareachanging equaled the world and track record for three-year-old pacing geldings with a mile in 1:48.4 to win the last of three $50,000 eliminations on Saturday night at the Meadowlands, as 23 entrants were narrowed down to 10 for the $1 million Meadowlands Pace on July 17.

The other two divisions were won by longshots as Ron Pierce won with both Circle L Kid and Geartogear in matching 1:49.4 miles.

In the fifth race, Timesareachanging [$4.00, $3.00, $2.40] took the lead in the stretch and drew off to a five and a quarter length victory over The Preacher Pan [$9.60, $6.00]. Mantacular [$3.00] was third. The 1:48.4 clocking matched the gelding record set by Life Source at 2000 at the Meadowlands.

“He’s definitely the best horse I’ve driven,” said Yannick Gingras of Timesaraechanging, his first Meadowlands Pace starter.

“There was lots of action up front. At the five eighths, I had to keep his mind on business. It wasn’t the toughest division tonight, but he did it pretty easy. I think it has been a tremendous year for me.

Since I came here in January, it turned out far better than I expected.

I appreciate the chance to drive this horse. He [trainer Brett Pelling] stick with me and I respect that.”

The three-year-old gelding races for Perfect World Enterprises of Old Westbury, New York, who also won an elim with Geartogear.

Timesareachanging now has three wins, two seconds and one third in seven starts this year.

“I’ve had him five or six weeks, and he doesn’t do anything wrong,” said Pelling. “He’s not an aggressive horse. He comes to the races with his game face on. He’s not aggressive and is not a gate speed horse. You can guarantee in the race next week there will be a lot of pace. It’s going to be a really competitive race.”

When the year began, Pelling would have expected to be in the Pace with the Two-Year-Old of the Year in 2003, I Am A Fool, but that colt is sidelined. “It’s a major disappointment,” Pelling said. “He has a slight tendon tear, and we decided to shut him down. In all probability, he will go stand stud.”

The Preacher Man [$9.60, $6.00] was second, edging out North America Cup winner [$3.00]. Holborn Hanover also advanced to the final as the fastest fourth-place finisher with a time of 1:49.4.

In the first division, Circle L Kid [$17.20, $3.20, $2.10] popped out of the pocket and scored a length and three-quarter victory over 2-5 favorite Camelot Hall [$2.40, $2.10]. Georgia Pacific [$2.10] was third by three lengths.

“I didn’t know a whole lot about him,” Pierce said of Circle L Kid. “[Trainer] Steve Elliott said he was aiming for this race, and he should be real good. We got a perfect trip behind the Cambest colt [Camelot Hall], and we just powered by him in the stretch. My colt hasn’t seen that kind of speed before. We were moving right along.

Turning for home, the colt had a good grip on the bit.”

Owned by John A. DiSomma of Staten Island, New York, Circle L Kid was a $20,000 yearling purchase who has now banked more than $100,000. It was only second win in 11 starts this year and fifth win in 21 career outings.

“This has just been a bad luck horse,” said Toni Rose, assistant trainer to Steve Elliott. “Nothing has gone his way in any of the races. We were hoping it would finally turn around tonight, and it did. We’re just really happy. He got a perfect trip and a perfect drive.”

Pierce was back in the winner’s circle in the next race with 19-1 Geartogear [$41.00, $6.60, $2.10] who won by a length and three quarters over 1-5 Metropolitan [$2.20, $2.10]. Brandon’s Cowby [$2.10] was third by three lengths.

“He felt great in the score down,” said Pierce of Geartogear, a son of Grinfromeartoear. “Last week we put a good schooling mile on him, and Paul [trainer Paul Reid] and I knew what we had in the race. I would have been content to follow along but we just set sail. I put the brakes on in the third quarter. I chased him a little in the stretch.

In his schooling mile, a week ago today, he paced a quarter in 24.4. We kind of kept that to ourselves.”

Geartogear now has two wins and two seconds from six starts this year, three wins in 10 lifetime outings.