Meadowlands Notebook

MEADOWLANDS NOTEBOOK

OCTOBER 18, 2005

by Bernard T. Moore

The new track surface that was recently installed for the Fall Meet at

Meadowlands has not exactly been a good luck charm. Of course, the run of

extremely wet weather has not helped matters either. After canceling Saturday's

night card on Friday due to excessive rain and stormy conditions, racing resumed

as scheduled the following Tuesday. Regrettably, only three races were run after

jockeys refused to ride the remainder of the card, deeming the track unsafe due

to an unevenness that was perceived to be present in the track surface.

Management was forced to suspend racing on that day, and on Wednesday and

Thursday and Friday as well. The advanced forecast for the New York metro area

called for substantial precipitation through Saturday, and the outlook for the

resumption of racing appeared bleak.

In an effort to run the Saturday night card, a decision by track management

was delayed until Friday afternoon. In essence, the die had already been cast,

as it just did not seem feasible to even entertain the thought of conducting

racing over an already drenched main track, with more wet weather predicted into

Saturday. In the end, management was forced to cancel the Saturday card and give

both the main track and turf course ample time to dry out.

Whether this situation could have been avoided to some degree is cause for

debate, as the Meadowlands is the only racetrack in the area to have been

considerably impacted by the rain. The Big M has not run a full card of racing

since October 7, and with only six weeks of Thoroughbred racing in its 2005 Fall

Meet, that is not exactly a good thing.

Whether any or all of the lost days will be made up is unknown at this time.

The Meadowlands has made an attempt to salvage the Cliff Hanger S. (G3),

originally scheduled to be run on the grass last Friday. It has now been pushed

back to this coming Saturday. Weather permitting of course.

Racing is once again scheduled to return on Tuesday, with first post

scheduled for 1:10 p.m. (ET). Lets keep our fingers crossed.

Jersey kingpin Joe Bravo has assumed his usual spot atop the jockey

standings, with a two-win lead over Chuck Lopez, Rajiv Maragh, Jose A. Velez

Jr., Felix L. Ortiz and Jose Lezcano, who are all locked in a dead-heat for

second with four victories each.

Todd Pletcher continues to lead all trainers, but by just a single victory.

Jason Servis, Tim Hills and Mark Henning are all tied for the second spot.

Only three races were run on October 11, and there did not appear to be any

discernible biases.