from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Splitting time between the Meadowlands and Rockingham Park helped trainer Scott Rollins post career numbers in 2007, a trend he is trying to build on.

Rollins currently ranks 14th in the Meadowlands trainer standings with 11 wins from 73 starters and $214,190 in purses won. He comes off a career season in 2007 with 65 wins and $512,286. The Maine native moved his stable to the Meadowlands two years ago, but continues to race at Rockingham Park in New Hampshire in the summer.

“My mother and father are well into their seventies and aren’t doing that well,” he noted. “My father has Alzheimer’s, so I try to spend some time with them. When I’m down here in New Jersey, it’s hard to get away. I’m probably going to stay through this meet and I’ll race a little at Chester Downs. I’ll send about half a dozen up to New England, so I can see the family.”

Rollins’ best performers this season include Earl’s Charm K, whom he calls his “sentimental favorite,” and Sony Hanover and Soul Chaser, who will both race at the Meadowlands on Saturday night. Sony Hanover, who has post 10 in the evening’s fourth race, was a $30,000 claim on March 7. After a few failed attempts at the $40,000 level, he dropped down in class and rallied four-wide to win his last start in a lifetime best 1:51.4.

“Sony Hanover raced good the first week I had him in for $40,000,” he said. “The next week he couldn’t get involved and then after he didn’t race well again, we thought we should put him back in for $30,000. We changed his shoes behind and closed his bridle back up going into that win last week. Ron Pierce told me he really gets along with him, and he really gave me a heads up drive. He came four deep and closed in :26.”

Sony Hanover is the first horse Rollins has trained for the Threes A Charm Stable (George Peck and Norman Kelapire) of West Orange, New Jersey.

“They were looking to spend between $25,000 and $40,000,” he said. “They wanted a trainer stabled at the track for economic reasons and somebody who was more hands on. They were also looking at a smaller stable like mine and a trainer who was there when his horses raced. David Scharf recommended me. David has done a lot of nice things for me and I really appreciate it. He cares about the business and always does the right thing.”

Soul Chaser, post five in Saturday’s fifth race, was a $75,000 claim on March 8.

“We liked Soul Chaser when he was racing for $50,000, and we lost a shake on him (in the claim box),” he said. “Ira Sofia (of Stony Point, New York) is another new owner I have who came to me through a recommendation. We hit it off. He picked out a lot of horses and I kept saying ‘no.’ He was getting discouraged, but finally the first horse we claimed was Dynamite Express. After we lost him and the bills were paid, he cleared about $50,000. He asked me about Soul Chaser, I watched his replays and I thought he fit in the higher class. For $75,000, it’s tough to buy one like him, especially coming off a lifetime mark of 1:50.3. He was tremendous in his first start for us, then he zoomed right by them in :26.3. Out On A Bender got the jump on us last week and Soul Chaser paced in 1:49.3 (and finished second). It was exciting. I had Cori’s Gold win in 1:50, but I’ve never had a win in under 1:50. Soul Chaser has been good every week.”

Rollins maintains a stable of 15-20 head and concentrates on claimers.

“When it comes to claiming horses, I first look at what I don’t have in my barn, and I obviously don’t want a conflict with another owner I have,” he said. “I listen to what my owners have to say and some of them like to pick out their own horses. I turn a lot of horses down for various reasons. I’m just very picky. If you look at the ones who get claimed a lot here, those horses tend be good for everybody. Then there are those that fall by the wayside. At this level, you have to careful. I watch a lot of replays and I have to like how they travel and get over the ground. I also look at how they’re rigged up and I’ll pass on a horse that goes to his knees for instance. (Good) horses are really hard to find.

“Right now I’m down to 14 (horses),” he continued. “O Narutac Pat was claimed from me last week, so I’ve got to replace him. I’m definitely looking to claim some more. We’ve been quite busy at the claim box, but we haven’t been winning the shakes. I have better horses now and I’m making more money than when I first came here. I’m very fortunate and I have a very good crew working for me here. I’m concentrating on racehorses, yet it would be nice if somebody sent me a stakes colt for the summer.”

Rollins, 44, knew from the time he was a teenager growing up in Maine that he wanted to work with horses. In high school, he worked for a co-op program on a large breeding farm owned by Ival Chianchette, where he received a strong foundation in training and farm management. Rollins first came to New Jersey at the age of 18, working for outfits that raced at the Meadowlands, Freehold and Liberty Bell. He eventually opened his own stable in New England and received support from Gary Mosher and Vincent D’Amelio, owner of the Vapco Company, which manufactures equine vitamins and health products.

“Vinnie D’Amelio is a super guy,” he noted. “He’s been my good friend and confidant. He’s in his late sixties and he’s had some health issues. He actually went in (Wednesday) for a kidney transplant. Hopefully, that will be the end of his dialysis and he’ll be able to come down and visit me. He worked for Mike Gagliardi for years. When Mike passed away, he kind of lost interest in the game. We struck up a friendship about four or five years ago. I owe my success to him. Pol-Cat Poultice is one of his main products. He’s devoted his life to equine health and nutrition.”