20090724MeadowlandsR5 Turf Race

Onedin Legacy N and driver/trainer Chris Ryder rallied from the far outside to win the first harness race staged on the Meadowlands turf course in more than 30 years Friday night.

A field of eight claiming pacers took to the grass in the $15,000 one-mile test, which had been postponed twice due to rain. Onedin Legacy N sat at the back of the pack as Little Mister (Ron Pierce) led the field through splits of :29.4, 1:00.4 and 1:32. Ryder angled Onedin Legacy N five-wide in the lane and he stopped Rob Us (Andy Miller) by a half-length at the wire in 2:04.1 over a course rated good. Meteor Man (Brian Sears) held third after challenging Little Mister from the outside. Onedin Legacy N paid $15.20 to win the evening's fifth race.

The nine-year-old gelding posted his third win in 19 starts this season for Ryder, who purchased the son of Sir Vancelot from his New Zealand breeders one year ago. Lifetime, he has won 18 of 92 races and $159,793.

©2009 StandardbredCanada / The Meadowlands / Roberts Communications LLC

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• harness
• racing
• 2009
• meadowlands
• turf
• yt:quality=high

[Stamolka1986]

Harness racing on the turf? :O

11 years of horse racing and I've never seen this before! Probably only at the Meadowlands.

[howardm74]

they should not use the gate for these races. Old school don't beat the pole horse away. Should have had a smaller field of horses no more than 6. Also should have had the turf course a lot firmer. If they wanted a starting gate they needed a 4 wheel drive car and should have only picked them up 25 yards before the start! This is a great idea.

[thunderstruck665]

@triviatrap1982: Agreed. This looks like a cool idea, but I wouldn't have bet this race.

[lee14691]

in europe they use a starting car

[bigtimcny]

With that gate "hiccuping" twice, the horses that broke on gate should have been refunded. This was a good idea, but what does it prove? This probably should only be tried on a "hard" or "firm" turf course.

[horseracingkid]

rumor there might do it again

[flgby1]

I know they have laxed a bit on declaring recalls, but this seems to me to be a perfect time for the starter to have called one.

[triviatrap1982]

Well, I hate to sound rude, but they really should have tested this out a few hundred times before going through. It's a good idea, but they didn't need the autogate this time.

[ConcertShutterbug]

If the course is level and short the gate ought not to bounce like that...I can't believe that they did not give it a trial run first. Still, all in all pretty cool....I hope that they try it again.

[billsilic]

That car was bouncin pretty good outta there. Maybe run em with a run up start without the car on the turf. Wonder how they do it in Europe.