from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — A race to honor the memory of a victim of terrorism will be contested for the first time on April 10 at the Meadowlands.

The $75,000 Thomas Strada Memorial is an invitational for pacing mares.

Thomas Strada, 41, was killed in the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center where he worked for Cantor Fitzgerald since 1995. He was a vice president on the corporate bond desk. An outdoorsman, Strada shared his love of harness racing with his wife, Terry, whose father was a Hall of Fame horseman, the late George Sholty.

Strada grew up in the shadow of the former Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury, New York, where his father, Ernest, has been mayor for the last 24 years.

Thomas and Terry Strada moved to Chatham, New Jersey, nine years ago and had three children – Thomas Joseph, 9; Kaitlyn Claire, 6; and Justin Thomas, who was born four days before his father’s tragic death two and a half years ago.

One of Thomas’ brothers, Michael, organized the memorial race, which was enhanced with donations from friends and family.

“Tommy spent many nights at the Meadowlands,” Michael Strada recalled. “This was his hobby. We grew up as neighbors to many drivers and trainers in Westbury, and, of course, he married the daughter of a Hall of Famer, George Sholty. We thought this would be a way to honor him.”

“Michael has been very passionate about honoring the memory of his brother and in gaining the involvement of others to support this race,” said Meadowlands Vice President and General Manager Chris McErlean. “We are pleased to help him and the Strada family make this special commitment.”

The invitational fills a void in the mares division, two weeks after the conclusion of the Overbid Series and prior to the first leg of the Classic Series on April 19 at Dover Downs.

Golden Blend N hopes to shine in Su Mac Lad

Golden Blend N, a late-blooming New Zealand import, brings a two race winning streak into the opening round of the three week Su Mac Lad Series on Sunday afternoon at the Meadowlands.

This is the first major test of the new year for free for all trotters. The series drew 16 entrants, split between two $50,000 divisions carded as the fifth and sixth races on the 10 race matinee program.

An eight-year-old chestnut gelding by Chiola Hanover, Golden Blend N entered trainer Chris Ryder’s barn late in July 2003. Ryder shares ownership of the trotter with Reginald N. Caldow of Wellington, New Zealand.

“I bought half of him and the guy who owned him in New Zealand stayed in,” Ryder explained. “My brother told me about him. He said he showed speed and hadn’t really raced. He won about two or three starts just before I got him.”

Golden Blend won his first start for Ryder, a conditioned race on August 8 at Freehold, and was promptly moved into the open ranks.

Golden Blend finished 2003 with a record of seven wins, four seconds and one third in 20 starts.

“We raced him a Freehold and he did decent,” he said. “He raced up here in the opens and did reasonable. It was tougher horses, but he made money. We put him in the Su Mac Lad. There are some tough horses in there but we will give him a chance, give him a spin. If he gets a check, we will be happy.”

In 2004, Golden Blend has won three of his nine starts, including a victory in the open at the Meadowlands, and two back-to-back wins in the open at Freehold.

“He leaves the gate here,” he said. “He has good speed off the gate to get into position, which is a different style of racing from what he did back home. The half-mile horses are not as good as they are here. He is handy and gets off the gate good, which is a big edge at Freehold.

“He is a pretty straight-forward horse, nothing special,” Ryder noted.

Golden Blend will start from post six in the fifth race on Sunday with Cat Manzi at the lines. Among his competition is 2003 Breeders Crown winner Fool’s Goal and the well-traveled HP Paque.

“It is going to be a struggle,” Ryder said. “There are some good horses in there. After, we might bring him back to Freehold or drop him down in condition or put him in claiming. With a tag of $60,000 or more there is nowhere to race him. He is a nice horse, and we love racing him here, but there are only so many classes for him. If I bring my other trotter (Westland Sun N) here, we might send him to Canada. I am real happy with how he is racing right now. He is an older horse, and he will stay the way he is. We just need somewhere to race him.”

Raise a toast to Mom at Pegasus’ champagne brunch

The Meadowlands Racetrack is one place where it’s okay for moms to play favorites on Mother’s Day.

The racetrack’s penthouse level Pegasus Restaurant is offering a champagne brunch buffet on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 9. The cost of the buffet is $39.95 per person and includes racetrack admission and live racing program. Children ages 5-12 dine for $12.95, and those under 5 are free. Tax and gratuity are excluded. All mothers receive a complimentary bottle of champagne.

Pegasus opens at 11:00 a.m. on Mother’s Day with the live harness racing beginning at 1:10 p.m.

Reservations may be made by calling (201) THE-BIGM.

A complete Mother’s Day menu is available on online at http://www.thebigm.com/eventsList.asp.