East Rutherford, NJ – With fall-like, 50-degree temperature at the start of the first race on the card, which later turned into rain and a good track, the MADC club had three pacing races scheduled at The Meadowlands Friday night (April 28).

For another consecutive week, these club races didn’t disappoint when none of the three favorites won these events.

Tony Verruso wins in dominant fashion in the Meadowlands’ first race Friday night aboard Final Justice. Lisa Photo.

In the first race on the card, there was a scramble for the lead and through a :27.4 first quarter, it was longshot Legato (Marianna Monaco) who took command but was overtaken before the half by Dismissal Slip (Tony Beltrami). These two raced past the half in :56.4 and toward the three-quarter pole before Final Justice (Tony Verruso) moved from fifth position to grind first up towards the leaders. He was able to clear at the top of the stretch and was in hand at the wire to win by 5-1/4 lengths.

Camlachie Chrome (Cote Keim) came from way back to finish second and Beltrami held on for third. He was later disqualified for causing interference to a few horses in the deep stretch so this moved the post-time favorite A B Collins (Joe Lee) up to complete the trifecta. The mile went in 1:55. The 11-year old gelding is owned by Joseph Loprete from NJ and is trained by Julius Czermann Jr.

Okie From Muskogee and Tony Ciuffetelli hold off all closers to win the fifth race at the Meadowlands. Lisa Photo.

The fifth race on the card found another speed duel from the start and after a fast :27.1 first quarter, it was Okie From Muskogee (Tony Ciuffetelli) who handed out the parking ticket to early leader Stick With Cramer (Newton “Yogi” Sheridan). He forced the leader through a :55.1 half-mile and it looked like this would set the race up for the closers.

The outer flow started to develop but Ciuffetelli had enough on the front end to win by a head over Sunshine’s Finest (William Clark Jr.) while the pocket sitter and race favorite, Rockabilly Charm (Tony Beltrami), rounded out the trifecta. The mile went in 1:53.2. The 6-year old gelding is owned by Stephen Picarazzi, Darreyl Bullard and Brett Derue, all out of NY and is also trained by Derue.

In the ninth and final MADC race of the night, it was another fast opening quarter for Claytons Bettor N (James Slendorn) by going 27 seconds flat. He was able to slow down the pace to a sensible :30.2 second quarter and this proved pivotal in the end. The closers came in the stretch, but Slendorn found another gear and was able to hold onto the victory by a neck over the pocket sitter, Little Honeybadger Newton “Yogi” Sheridan), while Thndrfrmthethron N rounded out the trifecta. This mile went in 1:55.3. The 8-year old gelding is owned by Slendorn, who’s from NJ, and is trained by Kelvin Harrison.

The MADC will make an encore presentation for just one race on Saturday night (April 29) in the first race on the card, which is scheduled to go to post at 6:20 p.m.