from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — The $73,500 Art Unger Stake headlines a special Presidents’ Day matinee card on Monday (Feb. 16) at the Meadowlands.

Post time is 1:10 p.m. for the 10-race program. The Art Unger Stake is slated as race six. The race is named for the longtime Meadowlands horseman, who passed away at age 73 on March 8, 2008. A trainer for more than 40 years, Unger campaigned Shadyside Trixie and Young Quinn, two of the leading pacers of the 1970s. His top Meadowlands performers also included Allnightcardgame, a winner of more than $200,000, and C The Priest, who earned $183,671.

Oliver Cleo is rated the 2-1 morning line favorite in the Art Unger Stake after a dominant 1:52 score in the first round of the series. The 4-year-old gelding has won three of five starts since entering owner-trainer Peter Kleinhans’ barn two months ago. He was stopped at the wire in the $94,600 Clyde Hirt Final on Jan. 24 by Rocknroll Band. Kleinhans purchased Oliver Cleo from his previous connections, trainer Michael Perrin and owner Stephen Morrison, on Dec. 11, 2008. Oliver Cleo will start from post nine with Brian Sears in the sulky on Monday.

Preliminary round winners Golden Receiver, trained by Mark Harder, and Blue Boy, from Julie Miller’s barn, are the respective second and third choices on the morning line.

The field for the Art Unger Stake:

PP, Horse, Driver, Trainer, Odds
1, General Montgomery, Dave Magee, Mike Arnold, 12-1
2, Red Mile Road, David Miller, Ken Rucker, 8-1
3, Holdmetootight, Daniel Dube, Scott Di Domenico, 15-1
4, Real Samart, Yannick Gingras, Ross Croghan, 10-1
5, Blue Boy, Andy Miller, Julie Miller, 5-1
6, Ooh Dear Sam, Jason Bartlett, Bruce Saunders, 10-1
7, Harrah’s Best, John Campbell, Kelvin Harrison, 15-1
8, Golden Receiver, Cat Manzi, Mark Harder, 4-1
9, Oliver Cleo, Brian Sears, Peter Kleinhans, 2-1
10, Red Star Catch, George Brennan, Mark Harder, 8-1

Meadowlands schedule reminder

The Meadowlands will race six days this week: Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 16 (1:10 p.m.), Wednesday through Saturday (7:00 p.m.), February 18-21, and Sunday, February 22 (1:10 p.m.). The track will be dark Tuesday, February 17.