The Meadowlands Pace

A cool million is on the line tonight at the Big M in the Meadowlands Pace.

The big surprise before the race begins is the absence of Up the Credit, whose lackluster elimination left him on the outside looking in. Up the Credit raced at the back of the field and fired down the backstretch in an attempt to gain one of the top five spots. He came up just short and finished sixth.

The field for this year's Pace has not covered itself in glory, at least not yet. Last year the three eliminations went in 1:48.4, 1:47.4 and 1:47.3. No pacer in the two eliminations last week was able to break 1:50.

Nevertheless, this should be a highly competitive and entertaining pace for $1 million.

(2) Big Jim, the morning line favorite at 2-1, is undefeated in three starts this year at the Big M. He won his elimination last week by staving off a challenge down the stretch from Powerful Mist, but his previous three races has were disappointments including a show in the NA Cup at Mohawk and a place in the Somebeachsomewhere to Up the Credit. (In fairness, the loss to Up the Credit still garnered a 100 speed rating for the colt.)

(3) Custard the Dragon may well be the hottest 3YO of the moment. He won the Hoosier Cup on June 11 in a 1:50 flat that featured an impressive :26.4 final quarter and a move from third at the half to the lead and the win. He took the early lead in his elimination last week and then toyed with the field, dispatching ForeclosureN down the stretch with a little kick at the wire that suggested the horse had much more to give.

(5) Wink N Atcha is the proverbial bridesmaid, never (or at least rarely) a bride. The best the colt has managed of late is a pair of show finishes behind Custard the Dragon.

George Teague Jr. has three pacers in the field bunched at post positions 3, 4 and 5. Should be interesting to see what sort of strategy the trainer employs. Of course, Custard the Dragon shouldn't need much help: He has tremendous early speed. The danger here is that he'll spend too much energy securing the right to pace from the front of the field.

On paper, this should be an easy race to handicap. Big Jim and Custard the Dragon should take command early and battle it out late. It'll be interesting to see which driver wants to dictate and which tucks into the pocket.

But they don't pace on paper. (9) Bestofbest Hanover beat Custard the Dragon on June 18 in 1:49.1, the fastest any of these 3YOs has gone this season. (8) Roll With Joe won the Somebeach at Mohawk in 1:49.3, albeit from the (1) post. (7) Betterthancheddar has also won at Mohawk in 1:49.2.

So, no outcome should surprise.

But the Amateur Handicapper figures to get nice odds on Custard the Dragon and is going to bet him $20 to win.

Good luck at the windows!