Lazarus represented in New Jersey Sire Stakes Finals

Meadowlands Racetrack is ramping up for its first feature meet of spring this Sunday morning New Zealand time, as it prepares for finals of the New Jersey Sire Stakes Series.

This year the New Jersey Sire Stakes Board split the series into two levels, Platinum and Silver, offering two tier opportunities.

Lazarus is well represented in the series, with finalists in the Silver divisions and Ooglesarus competing in the $225,000 Platinum Sire Stakes Final for Three-Year-Old Pacing Colts and Geldings.

Lazarus

After winning the first two heats of the Bobby Weiss Series, Ooglesaurus was a game close up third in the final. He comes into Sunday’s feature with a season record of seven starts, three wins and two thirds.

“Ooglesaurus has shown a great will to win this season, he’s in a strong field but this is a great chance for him to prove himself and take that next step for a barn that’s been on fire lately,” Meadowlands race commentator, Ken Warkentin, told Wai Eyre Farm.

Despite drawing post six, Ooglesaurus has proven his ability to overcome tricky draws in the past and finished fourth in his recent heat.

He will be driven by his trainer Joe Bongiorno, who has a high opinion of the son of Lazarus this season.

“He’s come back a monster this time in, he has matured and has really impressed me as a three-year-old,” Joe said.

“I’ll be aiming him at some of the feature series at the Red Mile this summer too.”

Whoa Black Betty gives Lazarus a great chance at Silver success, as she draws post one in the $32,000 Silver Sire Stakes Three-Year-Old Fillies Pacing Final.

Driven by Yannick Gingras, who formerly drove Lazarus in his North America career, Whoa Black Betty impressed greatly in her recent heat win at The Meadowlands.

After making a mid-race move to lead, she was attacked for the last half mile and pulled away to win in a runaway victory in 1.52.3.

“Whoa Black Betty looks dominant fresh off her firm statement romp last start, and she draws the rail.”

“She just has that assertive potential to possibly flirt with the top level. Trained by a World Champion in Ron Burke, her stablemate Lou Dipa is probably rubbing off on her,” said Ken Warkentin.

Whoa Black Betty has just had four starts this year for a win, her last start heat victory in a career best time, and a third.

Rise Up Deo (by Lazarus) has also drawn post one in his final, the $40,000 Silver Three-Year-Old Pacing Colts and Geldings Final.

Athough not placing in four starts this season, he’s been finishing just outside of the top three and has the draw to use this Sunday.

He’ll be driven by Jason Bartlett for trainer Per Engblom.

Rise Up Deo’s final is the first race on the 15 race card, with that race due to start at 10.35am New Zealand time on Sunday.

Trackside have kindly made the Meadowlands coverage available to New Zealand viewers on Trackside 2 this Sunday morning. However that will be tentatively races 1 – 9, and dependant on post times and live schedules.

Lazarus running timing: (all times are approximate, with allowances for lag time on post starts)

Race 1 – Rise Up Deo – 10.35am

Race 6 – Ooglesaurus – 12.40pm

Race 8 – Whoa Black Betty – 1.30pm