from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — I Am A Fool, the Dan Patch Award winner as the top two-year-old pacing colt of 2003, and last year’s Woodrow Wilson winner, Modern Art, make their season’s debuts in Saturday night’s third race, a $25,000 New Jersey Sires Stake at the Meadowlands.

I Am A Fool, leaving from post eight with Ron Pierce driving, is rated the even-money favorite while Modern Art, drawing the rail with David Miller in the sulky, is 4-1. This will be the first stop along the road leading to the $1 million Meadowlands Pace on July 17.

A trio of New Jersey Sire Stakes share the Saturday night program at the Meadowlands with the $285,000 Graduate Final for free for all pacers and the $180,000 Cutler Memorial for free for all trotters.

“I’m anxious to get going, to get the season underway,” said Brett Pelling, the trainer of I Am A Fool. “I’m focusing more on the big prizes with him. I’ve got to pay attention to details with him. They come after you from all over. You cannot be complacent. I have to keep on top of everything.”

At two, I Am A Fool, owned by Perfect World Enterprises of Old Westbury, New York, had nine wins, two seconds and two thirds from 15 starts for earnings of $1,159,062. He wrapped up his freshman campaign and a lock on post-season honors by winning his last five starts, including the $652,898 Governor’s Cup (October 18 at Mohawk), the $246,000 Matron (on November 11 at Dover Downs) and the $540,000 Breeders Crown (on November 29 at the Meadowlands).

“This is a horse I’ve really looked forward to coming back,” said Pierce, who sat behind him in nearly all of his starts. “He’s filled out real nice. A horse like he and (trotter) Tom Ridge get you excited. In the past, I was anxious to get Sealed N Delivered back (1998) and last year Mr Muscleman. But I Am A Fool was the best two-year-old I’ve ever driven.”

Modern Art, who was first or second in 12 of 13 starts last year and earned $719,041, captured the $640,000 Woodrow Wilson Final at the Meadowlands on August 1. I Am A Fool was third in that race, but most of the year Modern Art was second best.

“Modern Art had a good winter and is showing every sign of coming back strong,” said Michael Granoff, one of the colt’s owners. “(Trainer) Joe Holloway takes the long view and knows he’s going to have to be going 1:50 miles in November, so better to let him work his way into shape rather than putting too many hard miles under him before the big money even begins. No question at the end of last season I Am A Fool was a step better than us, and he sure looks like he came back sharp. But we’ll look forward to knocking heads with him all year. Joe has said he wouldn’t trade our colt for anyone else’s, and we feel the same way. We’re ready to roll.”

Granoff, who is a partner in the Val D’Or Farms of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, owns Modern Art along with Milton and Martha Frank of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, and Ted Gewertz of New York City.

Around The Meadowlands for May 14, 2004

Hall of Famer Cat Manzi will be driving 9-2 Elegant Man in the $180,000 Cutler and 5-2 Life Source in the $285,000 Graduate on Saturday night.

“(Elegant Man’s) race at Dover in the Classic (when he won) was the first time I drove him and the first time he raced on Lasix,” Manzi said. “He had a good trip, but he had a lot of ‘go’ on the end. This one is coming along. I’d say he has a chance to be a top free for aller. Don’t count him out in here. The top two on paper are Fool’s Goal and Danish Delight, but they both look off form. It’s kind of a suspect field. He’s got a good chance.”

Life Source edged out Four Starzzz Shark in last week’s free for all to push his career earnings over $1 million.

“What a pleasure it has been to drive him all year,” said Manzi. “He started the year half lame and has improved steadily since. (Trainer) Richie Banca has done a great, great job with him, he really has. This horse has consistently gotten better. On or off the pace, it makes no difference to him. He can do anything. Clearly Four Starzzz Shark is the horse to beat, but we’ll give it a big shot.”

Four Starzzz Shark is the 8-5 morning line favorite in the $285,000 Graduate Final, the seventh race on Saturday night. This year he has two wins and a second for trainer Dave Sabatelli.

“When I first sat behind him, I wasn’t that impressed, but he’s the type of horse that catches your eye the faster he goes,” said Sabatelli. “The past couple of years, he’s raced more from off the pace, but he was also in with Real Desire and Art Major. I don’t see anyone like that in here this year. He’s been able to race more on the front end so far this year. He seems more versatile.”

Yannick Gingras has a pair of 15-1 shots in the stakes finals on Saturday night — Dink Adoo in the Cutler and Armbro Animate in the Graduate.

“Dink Adoo is not an open horse but a consistent check-getter,” said Gingras. “He’s not the type of horse who’s going to win a lot of races, but he’ll get his money. In the Su Mac Lad Final, I was sitting on the inside and got caught behind Approved Action when he tired. Otherwise, he would have gotten money in there. Sometimes it works out when you sit in; sometimes it doesn’t. Armbro Animate is another who’ll get his money. He’s in tough. I don’t think he can go with a horse like Four Starzzz Shark, but he can follow him.”

Daniel Dube will be handling Graduate finalist Boulder Creek, who has been second or third in seven of his 11 starts this year.

“He’s the type of horse who can really fly out of the gate, but you don’t have to leave with him,” said Dube. “He can close big, too, but in a race like this, you need some help up front.”

Driver-trainer Jack Baggitt, Jr. is struggling to get Danish Delight ready for Saturday night’s Cutler Final.

“He’s had an infection in his foot, right front,” Baggitt said. “I hope to have this problem resolved by Saturday. I think this was bothering him some in the Classic. That’s why he was on the right line throughout. I am going to tub him and poultice it, and try my best to have it out and have him back by Saturday.”