by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — Lady Mattgalane, an elimination winner for Saturday’s (June 2) $200,000 Thomas D’Altrui Miss New Jersey for 3-year-old pacing fillies at The Meadowlands, has post three for the final as the 2-1 favorite and a new trainer for the year. The daughter of Artiscape was a multiple stakes winner in 2006, including the Champlain Stakes in a career best 1:52.3.

Lady Mattgalane is new to the Greg Peck Stable this year; her start in the Miss New Jersey elim was just the second start in her new stable. She’s owned by Perretti Racing Stable and Clay and Scott Horner.

“She’d been turned out at Perretti Farms and came back (in late 2006) in great shape, as they all do,” says Peck, a native of North Sydney, Nova Scotia. “So we started from there.

“When we picked her up in December, Bob Marks (Perretti Farms’ marketing manager) mentioned to me the Miss New Jersey. Perretti is the prominent New Jersey breeder and Bob wanted to win that race; that was our objective. We’d like her to have a long season and do as well as she can do and finish up the year good, but that was the first order of business that Bob mentioned — the Miss New Jersey. So here we are for Saturday night.”

Peck says Lady Mattgalane has one simple positive attribute — speed.

“She’s very fast, very fast, high speed and she finishes a mile well,” says Peck. “She’s a very strong filly, very strong. She has her quirks, she’s a quirky filly, shies from tractors and equipment and things on the track. But she seems to put her game face on when she gets behind the starting gate and I hope that will continue.”

Peck has no particular race strategy in mind.

“That’s up to Brian (Sears, the driver). He’ll do whatever he sees fit. I think you’re better off to lead them to the track and let him (the driver) do what he’s going to do.

“Last week, she came first-over and won in hand, but it’s one of those races where only one was going to be eliminated and the fractions were moderate for that type. I assume they’ll be different this week. There’s $200,000 on the line and a lot of people would like to show that they have the best filly in New Jersey. It’s going to be a tough race.”