from Meadowlands Media Relations

East Rutherford, NJ — The Meadowlands Saturday night (March 10) card is filled with intriguing options (13 in all) for the horseplayer and fan alike. Pacing races dominate the program with eleven of those filled pretty much to the 10-horse capacity of the mobile starting gate.

The $20,000 Preferred Handicap pace comes early, in race two. It’s a strong group of seven including the 2017 Grand Circuit stakes winner of the Confederation Cup and Prix D’Ete, Western Fame (post five) making his seasonal debut for Brittany Farms and Jimmy Takter. A career winner of $681,718 in a mere 41 starts, Western Fame lists a runner-up finish in the 2016 Little Brown Jug among his career highlights and may well be on his way to the upcoming G.M. Levy FFA series. Yannick Gingras has the drive.

Last week’s winner of the Preferred class, Awesomeness, is back from the far outside post seven looking for his third consecutive win for the meet’s top driver Jimmy Marohn Jr. Awesomeness has been at or near the top of the local heap all winter for owner Martin Scharf and trainer Brett Pelling.

Class master Bettor’s Edge can never be discounted in these spots either. The career winner of more than $2 million is winless in his six 2018 starts but has been second or third in five of those. He has just failed to last on the lead his last few and may relish a bit of cover with the potential for a contested pace in this one. Brett Miller drives from post six for Jennifer Lappe, who trains and shares ownership with Robert Santagata.

A breakdown of the Friday night exotics reveal very substantial pool size for all. The 20-cent Survivor Pick-10 drew $16,711 and again went to a single winner. The Pick-5 pool was $48,126 and yielded a $4,429.35 return. The popular Pick-4 generated $87,607 with $4,131.05 the payout to those holding a ticket containing the four winners. The last race Super Hi-5 Jackpot pool is at $132,042 into Saturday’s play.

Free program pages and Dave Brower’s selections are available for your Saturday gambling pleasure.

Another WHHC leg is set for the evening as well as the Spring Break Sweepstakes for those so inclined to escape the winter climate.

Post time is 6:35 p.m.