from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Two weeks of preliminary action have narrowed the field to 10 of the sport’s best trotters who will be heading to post in Sunday afternoon’s sixth race, the $154,200 Su Mac Lad Final, at the Meadowlands.

The Su Mac Lad winner will receive an invitation to the $300,000 (est.) Nat Ray, one of the Meadowlands’ premier events for older trotters, to be raced on Hambletonian Day, Saturday, August 6.

Mr Muscleman, the 2004 Older Trotter of the Year, is rated as the 2-1 morning line favorite from post seven. He made an impressive 2005 debut last week to win his Su Mac Lad division in 1:53.3.

“Even though he’s won $2 million, he’s better now than he’s ever been,” said trainer Noel Daley. “When he’s on his game, he’s tough to beat. They’ll have to go some to beat him on Sunday.”

After a 10-month layoff due to injury, Don Boss Vita posted a 1:55.2 victory in his 2005 debut last week. The six-year-old son of Donerail had been sidelined with a suspensory injury since June 4, 2004. Trained by Virginia Louthan, Don Boss Vita is rated as the 7-2 second choice on the morning line from post two and carries a five-race winning streak.

“He came back very good,” driver Brian Sears said. “His best race is to get into the flow and keep going.”

HP Paque, the 2004 Breeders Crown winner with career earnings of $1.5 million, is aiming for a Su Mac Lad repeat from the rail. Should he accomplish the task, he would join the select company of Go Get Lost (1988 and 1989) and Magician (2000, 2001 and 2002) to win the event more than once. The eight-year-old son of Tabor Lobell is making his third start of the year. He finished fourth in the opening leg of the series and was fifth last week.

“HP Paque is getting older and needs some starts,” said trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer. “I was shocked that Don Boss Vita came right out of the box like that and won (last week). He hadn’t raced in a long time. Last week, with HP Paque on the last turn, he felt so strong I thought I was going to win easy. Then I moved him, and he came up flat. I’m not sure, but I may have shut off his air some.”

Hurri Kane Billy G, the runner-up in the Horse & Groom Final, will leave from post six. Trained by John McDermott and driven by Yannick Gingras, the four-year-old son of Donerail has hit the board in five of eight starts this year. Second in the opening round of the Su Mac Lad, he finished third last week.

“He couldn’t get out of his own way in the first turn early this year,” Gingras said. “We’re trying to get him involved in the race earlier. Last week he held his position well early.”

“He’ll be ready for the final,” McDermott said. “I’m tightening the screws. I’d love to win this race and get an invitation to the Nat Ray. He’s sound and healthy. I’d prefer to follow Mr Muscleman around the track somehow. There’s not going to be any easy halves in this race. I think they’ll be going out of there pretty good so it can give us something to close into. My horse can sprint home with any of them.”

McDermott may have found a new wrinkle to add to his training technique. He had Hurri Kane Billy G spend some time with a horse who has won the Su Mac Lad three times.

“I have an advantage that nobody else in this field does,” McDermott said. “My horse, Hurri Kane Billy G, has spent the week hanging out at Blairwood Farm with Magician. He (Magician) gave him some pointers, and I think it’s going to help him in the final.”

Magician, who will be honored with retirement ceremonies on Sunday at the Meadowlands, won the Su Mac Lad in 2000, 2001 and 2002. He leaves the racing field of battle with 49 wins, 14 seconds and 14 thirds from 111 starts and earnings of $3,579,103, most for trainer Earl Cruise and driver David Miller. Miller will parade him for the last time after Sunday’s second race.

ENS Snapshot, who had a suspensory injury at four and missed more than a year of racing, will start from post 10. Back in the sulky on Sunday to drive ENS Snapshot will be Mike Lachance, who took the winter off to travel, train some horses and spend some time with family.

“I was originally planning on not coming back until the end of the month, but (trainer) Steve Elliott called and asked me if I would drive,” said Lachance. “I figured I would. This is a nice trotter and one I can drive this year. Next weekend I’ll drive a couple. I’m kind of easing my way back into it.”

After winning his division of the opening round of the Su Mad Lad in 1:56.2, ENS Snapshot never left the pylons and finished fourth in last week’s second round.

“He’s doing fine, good and sound; he just needs races,” Elliott said. “He hadn’t raced in two years. Barry Alfred (the horse’s owner) told me when he bought him to just see what I could do with him. He bought him as a stallion but wanted me to try him first as a racehorse. This is Barry’s first Standardbred. I think he’s had some show horses.

“ENS Snapshot likes it out there,” Elliott added. “He wants to compete. He’s getting better each time. Mr Muscleman was vicious last time. He’ll be tough to beat. I don’t know if any of these can handle him.”

Although he has captured many of trotting’s top stakes, trainer Jimmy Takter has yet to win the Su Mac Lad at the Meadowlands. He will send out Cordial Martini from post three in this year’s edition. The six-year-old Lindy Lane gelding has a record of three seconds in six starts this season.

“It’s going to be tough to win it,” Takter said. “He’s okay, but he’s racing a bit over his head. I’m not racing too many racehorses. Mostly I’m concentrating on the two and three-year-olds. Cabrini Hanover is awesome. She trained in 2:11 (on Tuesday). I’m actually happy right now with all my three-year-olds.”

The field for the $154,200 Su Mac Lad Final – Race 6 – Sunday, April 10 (from the rail out): HP Paque, Trond Smedshammer, 10-1; Don Boss Vita, Brian Sears, 7-2; Cordial Martini, Jim Morrill, Jr., 15-1; Chucaro Ahijuna, John Campbell, 5-1; Mohammed Mali, David Miller, 8-1; Hurri Kane Billy G, Yannick Gingras, 10-1; Mr Muscleman, Ron Pierce, 2-1; Dink Adoo, Cat Manzi, 8-1; Hunt M Down, Eric Ledford, 20-1; and ENS Snapshot, Mike Lachance, 15-1.

Su Mac Lad memories

Ray Remmen recalled Duchess Faye’s 1982 Su Mac Lad victory. She was the first female trotter to win the event; Babe Kosmos was the second in 1985.

“There weren’t a lot of big names out there with her that year, if I remember correctly,” Remmen said. “She was a small mare but extra good at that time. She got us invited to Sweden for the Elitlopp. But she was overmatched in that one.”

Bill O’Donnell has a record five Su Mac Lad victories under his belt.

“In 1984, Billy Haughton used me on Riklis,” recalled the Hall of Famer, who currently resides in Canada. “They were down in Florida, and I was just in the right place. In 1985, I didn’t know Dan O’Mara. I didn’t know a lot about the mare (Babe Kosmos), but she raced big. When I won it with No Sex Please (1990) and with Yentls Iceman (1998), both times I benefited by Ronny Waples not being here. He owned No Sex Please and had another commitment, and was out of town when I drove Yentls Iceman for Ben Wallace. In 1987 (Starmaster), I won this for Larry Summer. Larry had used me on a lot of his horses when I would make it to New York.”

Around The Meadowlands for April 9, 2005

Sympathies are extended to Jim Morrill, Jr. on the passing of his mother, Sue, on Thursday night after a long illness.

“We’re going to have a memorial service for her at Plainridge on Labor Day,” Morrill said.

Trainer Kevin McDermott and Down Down Stables owner Wayne Chrebet leave today for a seven-day Disney cruise with 26 other family and friends.

Ben Webster reports that his recovery is going well from heart surgery.

“I had surgery March 21, triple bypass,” he said. “I went to three specialists and all three told me that I had to have it done, that this was the real McCoy. I did and I feel great. I cannot drive a car for six weeks or lift anything over seven pounds. I have to walk 15 minutes four times a day. But I’m feeling good, and I am anxious to get back to New York to help my daughter Laureen and her husband out with their new car wash and detailing center (Hambletonian Car Spa in Chester, New York).”