from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – January 2, 2004 – Sundown Score [$6.20, $3.60, $3.00] took the lead at the half and drew off to win the $40,000 open trot, the featured fifth race on Friday night at the Meadowlands.

George Brennan guided the eight-year-old gelding to the 1:53.4 mile, a lifetime best, on opening night of the 2004 Meadowlands meet. It was two and a half lengths back to Victory Cruise [$6.60, $3.80] in second and three lengths to Coerfurst [$7.00] in third.

“I wasn’t sure what kind of trip I would get tonight,” Brennan said. “When Cat [Manzi with Golden Blend N] moved to the lead, I didn’t want to sit third and grind first up. So, I moved to the front and it was lights out after that. Junior [trainer Dave Sabatelli] has done a good job getting this horse good.”

“He was just viscous,” said Sabatelli, who trains the trotter for the FS Starzzzz Stables of Glenwood, New Jersey. “He just loves this time of year. The only thing different is we just backed off on his training. Especially with the holidays of New Year’s and Christmas, he missed three days of training. We jogged him two miles today and that is it. He just loves this time of year. He does not have any stakes planned. We will probably give him next week off since he has been
racing every week since the meet opened. We bought him back at Harrisburg for $42,000 and he has made $56,000 since.”