East Rutherford, NJ — With the wind playing havoc again on the Friday night (April 5) card at the Meadowlands, the three Meadowlands Amateur Driving Club events found the lead — or close to it — the place to be.

The first race on the card saw Victoria Stratton drive her first-ever winner, sending 15-year-old Marty Monkhouser A to command early before setting sensible fractions and pulling away in the stretch to win by 11 lengths in 1:53.1. Pocket sitter Atta Boy Dan (Tony Beltrami), another 15-year-old, held on for second while Harry Hanover (James Slendorn) got up for third.

Marty Monkhouser is co-owned by VIP Internet Stable and Stratton Stable, and is trained by Cory Stratton.

Speed held up similarly in the second MADC event, carded as the fourth race. Once Brazen Brazilian (Michael Kimelman) cleared Meet The Creeper (Bruno Chiodo) just after the quarter, the race wasn’t much in doubt until late in the mile, when two horses who were parked out for the entire mile came knocking but came up a neck short as Kimelman and Brazen Brazilian held on to win in 1:54.4. Camlachie Chrome (Cote Keim) got up for second while My Wish Came True (Tony Beltrami) rounded out the trifecta.

Kimelman trains and co-owns Brazen Brazilian, a 7-year-old gelding, along with his wife and daughter, Sara and Olivia.

The third and final MADC race on the card (race eight) found a revved-up Paduka N (Tony Beltrami) charge to the lead from an outside post, only to be caught near the wire by winner Whammer Jammer (James Slendorn) and Rock On Line (Anthony Verruso) in 1:52.1. Beltrami did hold third.

Slendorn owns 5-year-old gelding Whammer Jammer, who is trained by Kelvin Harrison.

The MADC will be back to kick off the Saturday (April 6) card at the Meadowlands. First post is 6:20 p.m.