by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — Always A Virgin might not end up being the horse to bring Joe Holloway his first Meadowlands Pace victory, but the trainer likes his potential.

Mark Hall photo

Joe Holloway has a pair of finalists in the New Jersey Classic.

The colt is one of two Holloway 3-year-olds in Saturday’s $500,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic at the Meadowlands Racetrack. Always A Virgin was seventh at the top of the stretch in his elimination race, but paced the final quarter-mile in :26.1 and just missed winning by a nose. Kinetic Yankee got the top spot in 1:51.

Last year, Always A Virgin won three of 10 races and earned $67,136. He won a Governor’s Cup elim and was fifth in the final. He also was second in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes at the Red Mile.

“He was pacing a ton at the wire,” Holloway said about last week’s effort. “He’s coming along. We thought he had some talent. We’re going to get ready for the Meadowlands Pace. He’s not going to the North America Cup because I think it’s tough for a horse to go to both. It’s not often you have a horse for the Pace; I don’t know whether he is, but that’s the way we’re treating him at the moment.”

Holloway’s other entry, Fresh Deck, raced just twice as a 2-year-old, but already has 11 starts under his belt this season. He was third in the Berry’s Creek on May 5 and second to Yankee Skyscaper in last week’s Classic elim. Yankee Skyscaper, who won by a head, was timed in 1:50.3.

“He had a little thing with his knee last year, so we thought it better to stop with him,” Holloway said. “After the Classic he’s going to get a month off — he’s not in the Cup or the Pace. I’m happy with the way he’s coming along. He’s good gaited and has tactical speed. I don’t know if he’s the very best, but he can go. On any given day, with a good trip, he’s going to beat them.”

Holloway won the New Jersey Classic with Modern Art in 2004 and Jenna’s Beach Boy in 1995. Always A Virgin will start from post one while Fresh Deck is in post six. The Yankee Skyscaper-Kinetic Yankee entry is the 8-5 morning line favorite, with Holloway’s horses at 4-1 and 9-2, respectively.

“There are four or five, maybe six horses that could win,” Holloway said. “I like mine as well as anybody’s. It should be a good race.”