East Rutherford, NJ — With clear skies and temperatures in the low 60s, the MADC club had three pacing races scheduled on the Friday (April 21) card at The Meadowlands. For another week, these club races didn’t disappoint and none of the three favorites won.

The first race on the card saw several horses leaving hard from the opening gate, but once Harry Hanover (James Slendorn) got to the top through a :27 first quarter, there was no looking back. He really didn’t have any anxious moments throughout the mile and when pocket sitter Father Fred (Newton “Yogi” Sheridan) stopped at the half-mile pole and scattered the field, Slendorn had some mild challengers but ended winning by a length over Final Justice (Anthony Verruso). The post time favorite Captain’s Reign (Dakota Jackson) rounded out the trifecta. The mile was timed in 1:55.2.

The winner, a 4-year old gelding, is co-owned by Slendorn along with trainer Kelvin Harrison.

The fifth race on the card found a speed duel from the start and after a blistering :26.4 first quarter, Jonah (Verruso) grudgingly gave way to Always A Panther (Sheridan), who left from the 10 post and took command as the field entered the backstretch. After a pedestrian :30.2 second quarter by Sheridan, the field stacked up, causing Takeittotheface (Peter Kleinhans) to go off stride for a brief moment and that scattered a few horses behind him as the field went past the half- mile marker.

The rated second and third quarter marks by the leader didn’t lead to victory as the old veteran Texas Terror N (Jackson) came from last at the quarter pole to pounce on the leaders and ended up winning by just over a length over the pocket sitter and post time favorite Jonah. Takeittotheface finished third but was disqualified for causing interference while on a brief break, according to the judges, and that moved Always A Panther up to third from his fourth place finish. The mile was timed in 1:54.3.

The winner, a 15-year old gelding, is owned by Ettore Annunziata Rev Trust and is trained by Michael Annunziata.

In the ninth race and final MADC race of the night, it was once again a race to the top at the quarter pole. Claytons Bettor N (Slendorn) found his way to the front but had to pay a stiff price to get there, as he paced by the first stanza in a jaw-dropping :26.2. He was challenged just after the half by longshot Trashytonguetalker (Robert Hechkoff) as the pace slowed down to a walk at the half in :57.1.

Hechkoff looked like he might clear the leader, but broke around the final turn. That didn’t stop the closers and outer flow from collaring the leader. It was once again Jackson who came from eighth in this race with Trente Deo to gain command late to win his second consecutive race of the night by just under a length. It was also the second MADC race in a row that had the post time favorite and driver, Grateful Kiss (Verruso), finish second while Go West Go Fast (Tony Beltrami) rounded out the trifecta. This mile was timed in 1:54.2.

The winner is a 7-year-old also trained by Jackson and is owned by his brother, Zachary Jackson.

The MADC is scheduled to be back in action next Friday at The Meadowlands. Post time is scheduled for 6:20 p.m.