from Meadowlands Media Relations

Hez Striking, who makes his 2006 debut in Friday night’s third race at the Meadowlands, earned nearly $250,000 last year the hard way – without winning a race.

The seven-year-old trotter banked $232,472 toward a career total of $669,795 by finishing second four times and third four times from 19 starts last year. That was in sharp contrast to his 2004 campaign when he won 12 of 19 starts.

In Friday night’s $32,500 winners-over trot, Hez Striking drew the rail and will be paired with driver Ron Pierce. He is the slight 5-2 morning line favorite.

The son of Striking Sahbra tuned up with three qualifying races and will be making his first start since finishing fifth in the $250,000 American National Final at Balmoral Park on November 5.

Last year, he spent a lot of time chasing Mr Muscleman and Helluva Hush, picking up minor spoils for his owners, J. Bart Glass of Stanford, Kentucky, and Robert A. Kauffman of New Albany, Ohio.

“I’ve been trying to get him raced,” noted the trotter’s trainer, Richard “Nifty” Norman. “He’s had three qualifiers, winning his last two, and his last mile was in 1:55.1. He’s ready, real good. I thought about bringing him to Canada but decided to race him here. I am aiming him for the Su Mac Lad [which starts on March 26].”

The three-week Su Mac Lad Series at the Meadowlands culminates in a $126,500 final on April 9.

Norman, 45, has embarked on his first meet on his own after 15 years as the chief assistant to the Meadowlands’ all-time leading money winning trainer, Brett Pelling.

“It’s been okay, busy,” said Norman, who has the assistance of his wife, Robyn, and his staff. “The management part of it, I am getting used to. Staking horses * now there’s something I could use good ol’ Mr. Pelling for. But I’m getting used to it.”

Pelling retired and moved to Perth, Australia, in January.

Currently, Norman has four wins, five seconds and five thirds from 49 starters at the Meadowlands for earnings of $69,989. Overall, he has a record of 10 wins, six seconds and five thirds from 70 starters for $84,491 in purses won.

MIKE HAS TWO [LA]CHANCES TO DRIVE FOR THIS YEAR

Hall of Fame driver Mike Lachance has two sons who are now training horses that race at the Meadowlands.

This year, Martin Lachance, 31, has joined his more established brother, Patrick, 30, as a trainer.

“Martin is very enthusiastic,” said Mike Lachance, who is driving for both of us sons. “He’s not as natural a horseman as Patrick. He’s getting much better, more focused. He’s a very smart guy who picks things up quickly. He’s just getting used to things right now, getting his feet wet. By next winter, I’d say he’d be ready to claim a few and get into it deeper.”

Martin Lachance’s first training win came on March 1 at Freehold with Casablanca Hall. His stable also includes Sampras Blue Chip, Best Chance Hanna, Mojo Mama and Horse & Groom entrant Sky Watch, who was third in last week’s opening round.

Mike Lachance, who has 9,752 career victories and purse earnings of more than $166 million, vacationed last winter but this year he is back in the Top 10 of the Meadowlands’ driver standings.

“When the year started, I was not looking to make a killing,” the 55-year-old Lachance said. “I show up, see what I am driving, do the best I can and have fun, keeping an eye on the spring and early summer when the young horses come back. Then, I started driving a lot of Patrick’s horses. He is concentrating on the training only right now. Things started to pick up, to revive. Now, I have a reason to come to the track every night.

“I’ve not lost any nerve out there,” he added. “It’s the power in this game. In the last two weeks, I’ve lost seven pounds. I was at 162. For years and years, I drove at 152 to 153. I was going to lose those 10 pounds n the spring but decided to do it now instead. Look at John Campbell. I’d say John right now is in the best shape of his life.”

AROUND THE MEADOWLANDS FOR MARCH 2, 2006

Boxing’s George Foreman and recently retired Jets wide receiver Wayne Chrebet have bought a 20 percent interest in Future Destiny, who won last Friday’s Tender Loving Care Final. “Part of me hates to give up any parts of a horse like this, but I had an opportunity to provide two guys that absolutely love harness racing with the thrill of having what I hope turns into a top caliber horse,” said trainer George Teague, who owns the three-year-old filly with his sister, Brenda, and Kevin and Ron Fry. Future Destiny’s next start will be in the opening round of the Blossom Series on April 5 at the Meadowlands.

Cat Manzi, the United States Harness Writers and Harness Tracks of America 2005 Driver of the Year, will be sticking closer to home this year. Last year Manzi captured the North American dash title with 727 wins from 3,609, not only driving Freehold-Meadowlands doubles but also traveling to Delaware and Monticello on dark days to chase down the crown. “[This] is going to be somewhat different for me than last year,” said Manzi, 55. “I’m not going to be going all over the place. I will travel, but only if it’s the right situation, if the horse can win. I’m not going to Dover on Tuesdays. I just don’t want to work quite as hard as I have. I have a large array of clients right here, and for now, I’m happy with that.” He is off to another great start in 2006, with 143 wins, 103 seconds and 92 thirds from 660 drives for earnings of $1,156,615.

These days Hall of Fame trainer Chuck Sylvester spends his winters in Las Vegas, but he will be back in New Jersey for a 10-day stay, starting Monday. The veteran horseman, who has four Hambletonian winners to his credit, is still looking for another champion. “I have 14 horses right now,” he said. “Seven of them are three-year-olds, some of them unraced green trotters. The days of training 40 to 50 horses are over for me. Last year I thought I had a good season but my two best prospects died and the other [Diesel Don] went lame. Some years, you just don’t come up with anything good. I would love to win at least one more Hambletonian. The smaller races don’t excite me like they used to. But I’m not quitting — I’m just cutting back some.”

Trainer Jimmy Takter is busy with his youngsters as well as readying his returning horses for their 2006 campaigns. “Solveig is doing well,” he reported. “She spent a whole year last year with sickness. If it wasn’t this, it was that. She is fine now, but I’m still not sure if she will race or be bred. Passionate Glide [the Breeders Crown winner and two-year-old divisional champion last year] is looking very good. I haven’t turned her yet. She’s training on the straightaway, and I’m working on her conditioning for now. Cabrini Hanover is heading back to race as a four-year-old.” Takter is also excited about the offspring of one of his past stars. “The Tom Ridge babies, I’ve heard, look extremely good,” he noted. “But that doesn’t surprise me at all. He was an exceptional horse himself.”

A pair of trainers will be featured this weekend on the News & Notes segment of the Meadowlands’ pre-game program. On Friday night the guest will be Patrick Lachance and on Saturday night Ross Croghan. Bob Heyden will conduct the interviews at the Clubhouse Level television set.

Retired driver-trainer Ben Webster reports that Flak Bait was put down this past week. “He was kicked by another horse in the shoulder, and it fractured pretty bad,” said Webster. “He had to be put down. He was 24, a foal of 1982. The year he won the Kentucky Futurity, that was probably his best race. I had him toned up pretty good for the Hambletonian that year [1985], but he had a bad quarter crack three weeks before the race. It cost him the foundation he needed to go with Prakas and a few others. As a sire, he passed on the trait of bad feet that he had all along. He had a few competitive ones but not any superstars. I was very close to that horse. I’ll miss him terribly.” It has been a tough 12 months for Webster who has had three of his all-time favorites pass away: Seatrain, No Nukes and now Flak Bait.