MEADOWLANDS PACE MEDIA CONFERENCE

July 12, 2005

Casie Coleman

Lou Domiano

Bob Hayden

Homer Hochstetler

Bob McIntosh

Sam McKee

Jeff Snyder

Wendy Spring

KEN WARKENTIN: It's time for the post draw. Let's bring up the dignitaries who will help us here. Director of racing Tad Stockman and our presiding judge Cammie Haughton. One of the great wrinkles of the Meadowlands Pace eliminations this year is that the two winners get to pick their post for the final, certainly a weight off the shoulders of Lou Domiano, who had to overcome post 10 with Stonebridge Regal to win that elimination. Gentlemen, first order of business will be to determine the draw order for the two winners. We'll bring up representatives from each horse, Lou Domiano with Leading X Ample, and Wendy Spring from Stonebridge Regal. Wendy, a lot of pressure. Bob McIntosh is on the phone line. He wants to know if you brought the envelope that you wrote the numbers on. Whoever gets No. 1 gets to pick first. Whoever gets No. 2 picks second. Don't look yet, Wendy. That's bad luck. Are we ready? What do you have? Lou has No. 2, Wendy has No. 1. You get to make the first selection for Stonebridge Regal. Post 3 for Stonebridge Regal. Very quickly, what was the thinking on 3? Did you have any input there?

WENDY SPRING: No input whatsoever. I was told that this would be a flexible kind of versatile position for Stonebridge Regal. He can come from off the pace, I think he can float out of there. That would be the ideal move for us. We have him in the three hole. We're happy with that.

KEN WARKENTIN: Sounds like you have the battle plans all drawn up.

WENDY SPRING: We have to.

KEN WARKENTIN: Lou, Leading X Ample, where are you going here?

LOU DOMIANO: We're going to go with the 2.

KEN WARKENTIN: What goes into that thinking?

LOU DOMIANO: Well, we kind of want to be inside of Stonebridge Regal.

KEN WARKENTIN: Even though you drafted second, you end up with Michael Jordan?

LOU DOMIANO: That's the spin I put on it.

WENDY SPRING: Happy I could accommodate you.

KEN WARKENTIN: Best of luck to you on Saturday night. Eight other post positions to draw. We will reload the pill box here. There are no entries. Any race over half a million dollars in the state of New Jersey, no entries, even though that is Brett Pelling trainees, all co-owned by Jeff Snyder in the finals. We have the envelopes with the horses' names. We're ready to go. Allamerican Inca, Dave Miller named to drive, No. 9. Allamerican Inca will start from post position No. 9. Dave Miller named to drive. George At Bigs for last year's winning connection, Jim Morril Jr. named to drive. Post 4. Deja vu all over again. Next up, we have Rocknroll Hanover, the North America Cup champion. Brian Sears, of course, driving, Post 5 who will probably be the Morning Line favorite in the Pace. Load The Dice, Mike Lachance named to drive there, No. 7. He'll start from Post 7 for trainer Chris Ryder. Cam's Fool, John Campbell looking for his eighth Pace victory, starting from post position 6. One of three Pelling trainees, John Campbell driving. Team Hutch, Dave Miller. Eric Ledford qualified him. Post 8 for Team Hutch. Dave Miller listed on two horses now in the Pace final. Casie Coleman knows that dreaded 10 hole is still out there. American Ideal, so it's the moment of truth. Casie Coleman trying to become the first woman to win the Pace. Post 10 of course. George Brennan I believe listed on American Ideal to drive. Village Jolt, last year's two-year-old champion. Post 1 with Ron Pierce driving for Brett Pelling. Village Jolt from Post 1. Let's reset the field. We'll have a graphic up on the monitors. That's the field for the Meadowlands Pace. Ken, should be a very interesting Morning Line?

KEN WARKENTIN: Yes, indeed. I have the Morning Line here. We'll give that out because right after Bob Heyden talks with an owner who has quite a bit at stake on Saturday night.

BOB HEYDEN: That would be Mr. Jeff Snyder. First things first. Anybody you know getting married on Saturday?

JEFF SNYDER : Not as far as I know, unless I have another daughter around who I'm not aware of. Anything's possible.

BOB HEYDEN: We insist you be there. Jeff Snyder the first owner in history, 351 owners in the Pace, no one with three in the final until you. Tell us your first reaction to the draw?

JEFF SNYDER: First of all, I'd like to toast everybody. I've got my Diet Coke in hand. I wish everybody the best of luck, including ourselves. Very happy with the post position draw. What was your question again?

BOB HEYDEN: Village Jolt has 1, Rocknroll 5, Cam's Fool 6.

JEFF SNYDER: Well, first of all, it's an honor to have three horses in this race like you say. I'm pretty delighted with the post positions. You never know what happens. It's going to be a tough race. I just feel real fortunate to be here. If any one of them wins, I'd be delighted, thrilled.

BOB HEYDEN: Tell us about Village Jolt. He hadn't raced in four weeks. Tell us your reaction to that race?

JEFF SNYDER: I think you're incorrect because I think he was only beaten a length and a half. This is about the first time I remember.

BOB HEYDEN: Just checked the chart a minute ago.

JEFF SNYDER: Anyway, we were really thrilled. It was questionable whether he'd be ready in time. Brett has done a tremendous job as usual. We didn't think he'd be strong enough. He had allergies all year, very bad ones. Changes have been made. Talked to Ron Pierce on Sunday. He was thrilled with the way he raced. We're looking forward to him racing right through till the end of the year. Hopefully he'll be strong enough this Saturday. We'll have to wait and see.

BOB HEYDEN: Cam's Fool is certainly a horse on the improve, coming on strong.

JEFF SNYDER: Yes, he is. He's not made a fool of us so far, even though he cost $300,000. We're still happy with him. He's got the 6 hole. John has done a great job. Comes from a great family. He's a Cam's Card Shark. One thing I'd like to say, it's especially thrilling to have four Cam's Card Sharks in the finals of the Pace.

BOB HEYDEN: Western Ideal (sic) is the favorite, Rocknroll Hanover looking for the Cup and the Pace. You've done that before. Can you do it again?

JEFF SNYDER: I'd like to. In fact, if Rocknroll Hanover wins, he'll be the only horse to have won three million dollar races.

BOB HEYDEN: Before we let you go, we want to know where your binoculars are going to be focused on during the race?

JEFF SNYDER: I'll be watching the TV cameras. You know, this time I won't have to have my daughter, who was up there. She called the race for me at the North American Cup. I'll be there myself.

BOB HEYDEN: Good luck to the Snyders. You have three in. Good luck in the Meadowlands Pace.

KEN WARKENTIN: We have Bob McIntosh on the line. Ken Warkentin here at the Meadowlands. Stonebridge Regal, Post Position 3. Great elimination victory, a great drive by Jack Moiseyev from post 10.

BOB MCINTOSH: Yes, he raced fantastic from Post 10. Jack give him a great drive. He raced a super race. Was very pleased with him.

KEN WARKENTIN: Is this horse peaking at the right time? You gave him a little bit of time off after the North America Cup when you finished second, shook loose a little too late. Is this horse just peaking at the right time?

BOB MCINTOSH: He seems like it. He come out of the race the other night on the elimination race, and it was a tough trip. But he came out of it in good shape. He was feeling good the next day. I feel good about his condition, yes, I do.

KEN WARKENTIN: Given the story that's come out this year about you personally, would this be an emotional victory for you?

BOB MCINTOSH: Definitely. You know, it would definitely be a big win. They still are my partners. Got a great partnership with Bob Kauffman and Wendy. It would mean a lot to me to get this job done on Saturday night.

KEN WARKENTIN: I know you leave it up to Jack Moiseyev. First of all, what's up with Jack? He's rejuvenated his career thanks to you and his renewed commitment.

BOB MCINTOSH: Yeah, I think Jack always was a superstar driver. You know, he's focused and he's on a mission. He's just showing how good he really is now.

KEN WARKENTIN: Do you see your horse being kind of a stocking threat or do you want to take the race away from -- you want to prevent Rocknroll or someone else from taking control?

BOB MCINTOSH: I'd like to have control of the pace. You have to see how the race unfolds. Brett Pelling's credit, he has three in there, it's always a factor. We'd like -- the more you have control of the race, you can't run a train from the caboose. I leave that up to Jack. I'll leave him to figure that out.

KEN WARKENTIN: Bob McIntosh, good luck trying to secure your first Meadowlands Pace. We'll see you here Saturday night. Time now for another participant that could be setting all kinds of records, including becoming the youngest trainer to win.

SAM MCKEE: Certainly is. We're with Casie Coleman. 25 years old. Your first full year training horses on a major circuit. You've been in the North America Cup, now in the Meadowlands Pace. You train for one of the most high profile owners in the sport in Brittany Farms. Do you ever pinch yourself and say, "I can't believe this is happening"?

CASIE COLEMAN: It's an honor, for sure, to have gone up as quick as I can. I just try to keep looking forward and improving my stats and doing better. I never expected to go this quick this fast, about you keep looking forward.

SAM MCKEE: In racing what goes around comes around. You were due for some luck at the post draw today after drawing outside in your elim, outside in the North America Cup, you get the 10 hole again.

CASIE COLEMAN: Yeah. There was two P's left in the thing, the 1 and the 10. I said, for sure it's got to be his turn. He's an unreal colt. He just hasn't got a shot to prove it because of the fact of his post position luck. The colt can fly with any one of these, I know he can. He just keeps starting out of the parking lot every time he goes to the gate.

SAM MCKEE: Looking at the post position draw, the way things shook out, do you see a way you can get into the race without blasting out of there? What are your immediate thoughts?

CASIE COLEMAN: There's some nice colts. Every colt in there deserve's a shot in there. Post position matters a lot. We're going to have to hope we can work out a strip there. Hopefully something goes his way. He's got to be due for it. You never know with a horse race, anything can happen. He's going to be a longshot coming from the 10 hole out of there. Last year, Mark Harder won it with a 50-1 shot. Odds don't mean nothing in a race like this.

SAM MCKEE: Through no fault of your own, it's been musical drivers for you. You have George Brennan up Saturday night. Is that an issue or is there a push button point-and-go colt?

CASIE COLEMAN: I like sticking with the same driver. Mark McDonald was his regular driver. Still is. Mark drove him great. We decided coming down to the Meadowlands, it's a different racing style, things are different here. Like I said, Mark, I would have loved for him to be here, too, but it's a different race surface here. We went with Ron Pierce because we didn't think he would have a drive in this race. He ended up having his horse ready to go again. So we lost Ronnie. Had John, lost John. Now we're going with George Brennan. Hopefully, one of them has to come through for him pretty soon. He's not a tough colt to drive. He's pretty versatile. It's not like he's hard to get used to.

SAM MCKEE: You're only the second woman ever to train a horse at a Meadowlands Pace final. You have a chance to be the first to win. Any thoughts on that?

CASIE COLEMAN: It would be awesome, that's for sure. It would be an unreal feeling to win this race. As I say, hopefully it can happen. Luck somewhere along the way.

SAM MCKEE: Best of luck to you on Saturday night. Back up to Ken.

KEN WARKENTIN: One of the little known facts about this race is that trainer Bill Elliott broke three of the colts in here, Leading X Ample, the colt he trains, Rocknroll Hanover, and also Cam's Fool, who he said was the best among the three. Unfortunately, he was injured as a two-year-old and came back. We have one of the Leading X Ample parts of that stable. That's of course Lou Domiano with Bob Heyden.

BOB HEYDEN: His resume is full of stakes winners. Second, third, fourth and fifth in the Meadowlands Pace. Would this be the year we put the 1 in there?

LOU DOMIANO: This is the first year they were able to pick post position draws. We've never had any luck. I've always been 7, 8, 9, 10 hole in this race. One year we had multiple entries and we drew the 7 and 9. So starting from a better spot, let's hope it is this year.

BOB HEYDEN: Is this a one-dimensional horse? Last half in Canada was pretty serious.

LOU DOMIANO: He's definitely a closer. Last week he showed some gate speed. I think everybody realizes now he can get out of there if he has to.

BOB HEYDEN: How is his leg? He had a problem with a cut on his leg.

LOU DOMIANO: He had a small cut that actually opened up in Canada in the North American final. You know, they worked on it. It was fine after that. Then he brushed it again last week, opened it. It was small. We had the veterinarians look at it. We have a hundred percent green light he'll be fine on Saturday.

BOB HEYDEN: North American Cup came up with some actual inactivity, especially the middle half. What can be done differently here?

LOU DOMIANO: Well, my experience in this game is for a million dollars there's never a soft middle half. Everybody is out rolling and everybody is trying. It's a million dollars. I think the closers, there's going to be movement in this race left and right.

BOB HEYDEN: Good luck for Lou Domiano and Leading X Ample, Post 2.

KEN WARKENTIN: We have the Morning Line here. We'll run through the Morning Line. Village Jolt is 8-1. Leading X Ample 5-1. Stonebridge Regal 3-1. George At Bigs 15. Rocknroll, 5-2 Morning Line favorite. Cam's Fool at 6-1. Load The Dice at 15. Team Hutch at 11. Allamerican Inca at 15. American Ideal at 12-1. Sam McKee with one of those long shots from Illinois.

SAM MCKEE: We're with Homer Hochstetler, the trainer of Team Hutch. Before the press conference we talked about drivers. You said you had a Plan A, a Plan B, a Plan C. Ledford qualified your horse. He sticks with Leading X Ample. You listed Dave Miller, but he's on another horse as well.

HOMER HOCHSTETLER: Yes, he is. I'll let him make the choice between the 8 or the 9. If he chooses the 9, we'll go to Plan C, which will probably be Cat Manzi or we'll take the next guy in line.

SAM MCKEE: A lot of guys with collars and whips standing around that can get the job done. Your horse is Illinois bred, a dominant horse in your home state. It's a whole new world at the Meadowlands with the top level. Did he silence his critics and doubters that he can compete with these by his elimination performance?

HOMER HOCHSTETLER: I think so. He was pacing at the wire. That's always important to me, still closing at the wire. If you watch the replay, he was pacing strong at the wire. I blew him out a little today. Seems like he's fine. Hopefully we'll get a shot.

SAM MCKEE: In Illinois, he's a dominant horse. Because of that, you about have to be aggressive with how you race him, move him early, go to the front, that sort of thing. A little less pressure out here. You can do some different things with him in the body of the race.

HOMER HOCHSTETLER: Oh, yeah. I mean, in a field of 10 that we're in, you just want to be in contention somewhere in the stretch and be able to get loose. They can all go fast. It just depends on who's sitting where. But in Illinois, yeah, I've raced there. Dave raced him on the front. He seems to always make the race exciting because he kind of waits on them. He's been winning. I guess that's what's important.

SAM MCKEE: That's what counts. You're a man of few words and little emotion. If you win the Meadowlands Pace for a million bucks on Saturday, will we see a smile and a fist pump from you?

HOMER HOCHSTETLER: We might, yeah. We might. We might have a little party, too.

SAM MCKEE: Homer Hochstetler, best of luck on Saturday.

KEN WARKENTIN: We did the Road to the Meadowlands Pace several weeks leading up to this race. Just to keep everybody abreast as to the top contenders and what the trainers were doing, how the horses were training. Each and every week I contacted, probably on a Monday or Tuesday, a number of trainers, and they were very gracious, got back to me right away. One of those guys is with Bob Heyden. He holds the record now for 16 starters in the Pace, and he's going for the Grand Slam.

BOB HEYDEN: That's Brett Pelling. He has Post 1, 5 and 6. Your initial reaction to the draw?

BRETT PELLING: I remember sitting there when I think there were two pills left. We had Up and Down Rosa. It was a 1 and a 10. It didn't work out that time. Obviously, the draw for us is very good. You have three horses in there, the 2 and the 3 are taken, the widest one is 6. I definitely can't complain about that.

BOB HEYDEN: Rocknroll hadn't raced in three weeks, Village Jolt in four. Both made the final. Happy?

BRETT PELLING: Very much so. Rocknroll, I mean, I've said this before, in going to Canada for the North American Cup, I think it's a very difficult thing. He had three weeks in between this year. Years gone by we've had two weeks in between. That may have taken away a little bit of his sharpness. If the season wasn't so lopsided where these big races in the beginning of the year, you know, I probably -- maybe I would have qualified him, or maybe he would have been a little tighter. He's a big horse. He's a fierce going force. He likes to pace in the bridle. I found out the best thing for him is he doesn't do a heck of a lot between races. I know that race Saturday night, breezing to the half in 53, we'll definitely top him out.

BOB HEYDEN: Village Jolt, take us to the first day you had him to right now, tell us about the improvement he's made.

BRETT PELLING: He had some health issues. He went to Canada. He's one of these horses that went to Canada and didn't do well. You think of Canada as being this great vastness of healthy green mountains and everything. But my luck as a horse trainer, going to Canada hasn't been good. I think Village Jolt probably just fell into that category. They pick up allergies, viruses up there. I don't know if it's the water. I don't know if they can't see the sun. I don't know what it is. For some reason a lot of horses just don't do that well. He came back, and he was on a medication for a couple weeks. Basically we really rested him more than anything, just allowed him to get his strength back.

BOB HEYDEN: Cam's Fool is trying to become only the second Pace winner not to race at 2. Does he have the greatest upside of your three?

BRETT PELLING: Well, you know, upside, meaning down the road?

BOB HEYDEN: Meaning now, peaking right now more than the others?

BRETT PELLING: Well, you know, you would like to see -- I always think the ones that race at 2 and come back at 3 have more of a chance. When I see a young horse like him, he's only had X amount of starts. He's racing hard against the big boys. I really believe that takes a lot of doing.

BOB HEYDEN: I remember once when Per Erikson won, he was rooting for a horse who got beat, the horse came up the inside. How are you going to be watching this race?

BRETT PELLING: Well, I've had enough entries in races before where I'd like to say to you all, "I can watch them all at the same time". We'll see how it unfolds. I mean, whichever ones are on the screen in the first turn, hopefully you can keep your eyes on both of them or actually three of them. Don't worry, I'll know where they are.

BOB HEYDEN: Ponderosa was undefeated going into the elim, got nipped, came back as the favorite, romped in the final. Rocknroll, the exact same scenario this year. Is he the winner of the Pace this year?

BRETT PELLING: I just think he's an awful special horse. Big speed. He's taken good care of himself. Came out of the race great, nice and sound, healthy. You know, he, I think of my three, is in the best position for this time of year.

BOB HEYDEN: Brett Pelling going for his fourth Meadowlands Pace.

KEN WARKENTIN: No wedding for Jeff Snyder, but the next guy has a wedding to think about. Last year down under trainers took home 95% of the purse. This guy got the whole enchilada.

SAM MCKEE: That's right. Mark Harder, getting married on Sunday. Does the honeymoon location depend on how George At Bigs does on Saturday night?

MARK HARDER: That's book. I'm going regardless.

SAM MCKEE: George At Bigs, a longshot, just like Hannover. Nobody thought that horse would win last year. Ended up in the winner's circle. Same blueprint okay with you?

MARK HARDER: Yeah, we're in. You take what you're given. We're in. We're dancing Saturday night.

SAM MCKEE: Jim Morrill describes the horse as a little bumpy at times. Do you have him dialed in shoeing-wise and setup-wise for Saturday night?

MARK HARDER: When I first got him, he had a little issues. I've been messing around with him a little bit. Saturday night I hope he's okay.

SAM MCKEE: Now, you were the leading trainer at the Meadowlands last year, fourth in the standings this year. Has it been a touch of a disappointing season by what you expected or more of a shift and focus in your stable?

MARK HARDER: Disappointing, no. I mean, I'm racing horses in the greatest harness track in America. I'm in the Meadowlands Pace on Saturday night. Train for great people. Could not be disappointed in the position I'm in.

SAM MCKEE: And, of course, (inaudible) Hanover last year. Can you compare George At Bigs at all to him? Is there anything similar between them?

MARK HARDER: Same owner, same trainer, same sire, same position, 15-1, same post position. Boy, I think -- I think, you know, Brett's horses, Stonebridge Regal, I think they're a little bit more of a standout than what we looked at last year when you were looking at standouts in the race. He has a tough road ahead of him. Made his way into the final, we'll take what we can get from here.

SAM MCKEE: Congratulations on your upcoming wedding on Sunday. Best of luck on Saturday night in the pace.

KEN WARKENTIN: Going into his 25th Meadowlands Pace final, going for his eighth trophy. Tough to top, Bob.

BOB HEYDEN: It's unbelievable. Maybe even better than that, he's never driven a Brett Pelling horse in the Pace and lost. John Campbell is back with Cam's Fool. Tell us about Cam's Fool elimination.

JOHN CAMPBELL: He raced really well. I thought he was going to win. Just got a little tired. The horse that did run him down was pacing very strong at the wire. He hadn't raced for three weeks, as Brett alluded to. I think he's going in in very good shape. I think that race will set him up for him to be at his best.

BOB HEYDEN: Early in the season you were saying he was playing catch up. Maybe you can expand on that.

JOHN CAMPBELL: He didn't race at 2, as Brett said. He thinks horses that race at 2, I certainly agree with him, they have an advantage. Just the seasoning factor, the learning what they're out there for, all these other colts have done that last year. He had to do it this year. Then, you know, progress at a level which is to the top of the game here. It is a bit of a catch-up thing. He is a very smart horse and he's a very easy horse to drive, that does make that task a little easier.

BOB HEYDEN: Post Position 6, Rock'n Roll has the 5. Your reaction?

JOHN CAMPBELL: Well, we're going to likely duck and follow and hope there's vicious fractions on the front. It certainly sets up there could be. But I think that's our best chance to hit the wire first, is for the fractions to be very, have very strong.

BOB HEYDEN: Won the Pace seven times, 16 eliminations. Any one Pace memory jump out at you at this moment?

JOHN CAMPBELL: Any time you win it, it's a memory. Certainly Up and Down Rosa's effort in the race was just incredibly strong. Didn't have to cover much of it. I was very impressed with that. I had family connections with Dexter Nooks. Cam's Card Shark, a special horse he was. He was the best horse going in. He just proved it over and over again that year until some injuries caught up to him. Any time you can win it, it's a special memory.

BOB HEYDEN: They say 24-7 at some of those stores. 24 paces, seven wins. John Campbell going for eight in his 25th straight.

KEN WARKENTIN: Brittany Farms in six editions of the Pace, winning it in 2001 with real desire. They have Load The Dice here. A trainer who was second in 2002 with McCartle.

SAM MCKEE: We're with Chris Ryder. Speaking of sevens, lucky sevens, you're hoping Post 7 is lucky Saturday night with Load The Dice. He got roughed up pretty good in his elimination. Will that take something out of him or is that a building block he can improve on?

CHRIS RYDER: I don't really think it's something I can improve on with a horse getting parked against those good horses. I won't be able to really tell you till after the race whether it's going to improve him or not. We're doing all we can to freshen him up this week. Basically we had a little trouble with him a couple weeks ago in the heat. We changed his diet around. He's not showing any allergy reaction, which is good. We just hope we can freshen him up and have him feel going for Saturday.

SAM MCKEE: Not only did he have allergies but stomach issues. Is he healthy do you think for Saturday night?

CHRIS RYDER: He's healthy. The stomach issues we believe were related to the allergies. He basically went out to race there with Mike. He just had diarrhea. It's a difficult way to race. But it looks like we've got that corrected. You know, we've got the 7 hole. We're hoping to get lucky obviously.

SAM MCKEE: Certainly one of the best-looking colts on the track. He's proven he can go with them. How do you see the race setting up? What has to happen for you to get there?

CHRIS RYDER: You know, it's tough to say. The first five at the half are going to be really tough to get around. Last year they went to the half 52. Holborn Hanover came to the rail. Is that going to happen again? Probably not. How do I see the race? I'm pretty sure we're going to be following, that's about all I can see.

SAM MCKEE: Chris Ryder, best of luck to you with Load The Dice on Saturday night.

KEN WARKENTIN: He's looking to pull off the North America Cup/Meadowlands Pace double. He's North America's leading money winning driver, far and away our leading driver here at the Big M. He's the man soaring since the beginning of the meet.

BOB HEYDEN: Brian Sears, Rocknroll Hanover. Tell us your reaction to Post 5 and about his elimination.

BRIAN SEARS: About the draw, I'm real happy with the draw. Five is not a bad spot at all for that horse. Like Brett says, elimination, three weeks off, possibly needed the race. But the horse, he came out of it good, feels great. Looking forward to this week.

BOB HEYDEN: North America Cup, the middle half was slow. How handy is Rocknroll Hanover?

BRIAN SEARS: He's very handy. Two fingers, you can start him up and stop him on a time. That makes my job a little easier.

BOB HEYDEN: If this is a beauty contest, they might give it to him before the race. Tell us about the foundation this horse has, the one that Brett put on him in.

BRIAN SEARS: I'm not a trainer, but I'm sure he's got a lot of miles on him, stuff like that. He looks good. He's filled out well this year. He's just been a pleasure so far.

BOB HEYDEN: Your first experience a couple years ago. What is it like for you, your third year now here at the Meadowlands racing in the No. 1 event?

BRIAN SEARS: It's where you want to be, especially if you're in my position. First year I was here, I was fortunate enough to drive What An Artist. He ended up being the favorite in the Meadowlands Pace, last year with Georgia Pacific. He was one of the choices in the pace, too. Hopefully this year can get it done.

BOB HEYDEN: You're looking at the race, the field. You have Post 5. The horse to beat in your mind?

BRIAN SEARS: You know, the horses inside. Very competitive field. I still wouldn't change horses with anybody. I'm real happy with what I got. Just see how it unfolds.

BOB HEYDEN: Good luck to you.

KEN WARKENTIN: He's driving and sort of reunited with last year's two-year-old champion. He's looking for his second Meadowlands Pace. He's one of the sport's newest Hall of Famers.

SAM MCKEE: That's right, Ken. We're with driver Ron Pierce who was inducted into the Hall of Fame last weekend. Congratulations. How did Village Jolt for Brett Pelling that you run in the elims compare with the Village Jolt you drove earlier this year?

RON PIERCE: He was much stronger, much better. He was unfortunately very sick when he was up there in Canada.

SAM MCKEE: Is he fit enough off that sickness and time off to compete Saturday where you can possibly win this thing or is he still a start or two away in your mind?

RON PIERCE: I feel he's ready. He felt very good to me last week. He won a big trip. Come first up. Only got beat a length and a quarter I thought for the whole thing. I was very happy with him, with his ability, with what he did last year. I feel we have a good chance.

SAM MCKEE: Starting from the rail, you do have some natural early speed. A lot of good horses outside. As Mark Harder said, unless you're in the top five at the half, it's tough to win. What are you thinking strategy-wise at this point?

RON PIERCE: We're just going to have to take things as they come. I'm going to try to not get in a hurry with him, do anything stupid. But I'm sure if I don't have to use him much early, he'll be around to pick up the pieces.

SAM MCKEE: When Brett Pelling sends you guys out on the track Saturday night, you, John Campbell, Brian Sears all driving horses for him, are you watching out for each other a little bit or every man for himself?

RON PIERCE: You know, Brett never says anything. He just gives you the horse. If you ask him something, he says, "That's what you get paid for." We're not going to be trying to hurt each other or anything like that, since we're all owned by Jeff Snyder. But it's pretty much you're on your own.

SAM MCKEE: Ron Pierce, best of luck to you with Village Jolt on Saturday in the Meadowlands Pace.

KEN WARKENTIN: It could be a springtime in the summer with a Pace debut for the connections of the 2001 horse of the year.

BOB HEYDEN: That's Wendy Spring from Bunny Lake fame. Wendy, when you have Bunny Lake, that's supposed to be your horse of a lifetime. Were you having a subsequently to this?

WENDY SPRING: I just don't get it. We were just -- I don't know -- bowled over by Bob McIntosh's phone call in January where he said, "I think we can play this year." I mean, you know, the horse didn't race last year. He was just turned out. He brought him back in October. He worked some magic with him. Real happy to be a part of that team.

BOB HEYDEN: Take us back a little further than that. You're not supposed to be the underbidder for a colt and two years later be in the Meadowlands Pace final. How did that work out? You did not actually get the horse when they knocked down the hammer.

WENDY SPRING: No. We were at the London sale. First of all, I had to drop Skip off. I went to park the car. I couldn't find him. He was over at Stonebridge Farms looking at the video. By the time I reached him, I was not too happy. He tells me, "I've fallen in love with this horse." I know him enough to know that when he falls in love with a horse, he's got to have it. He bid on him. Bart was buying him as agent for Bob Kauffman, just kept hitting him and hitting him. Skip unfortunately stopped the bidding. But all afternoon and all night, he was in a terrible mood, he was moaning and whining, complaining. I said to him, we were at I think Mohawk watching Bunny race, I said to him, "Why don't you try to buy a piece of the horse and end this?" So that's what he did. I guess it was the right move.

BOB HEYDEN: Bob Kauffman actually bred the horse, too, I believe.

WENDY SPRING: Apparently, yes. We bought half of his half. So that was very nice. Nice man to do that for us because otherwise he'd still be pouting.

BOB HEYDEN: No pouting here. Post position, you picked that. Tell us how you see the race unfolding. What is the next four days going to be like in terms of nerves for you and Skip?

WENDY SPRING: Bad nerves, bad nerves. This was totally unexpected. My husband will just start screaming for no reason at night. But regardless of what happens, we're happy with the horse. We know that he's in great company, regardless of how it works out. We have a versatile animal that can come from off the pace. He can lead, he can gut it out, he's got unbelievable desire, he just loves to go fast. In the words of Carol, his caretaker here at the table we're sitting with, she says he just enjoys racing. That's what it's all with for us.

KEN WARKENTIN: Sam McKee has the connections of Allamerican Inca. You have Mr. Muscleman there, or Adam Victor.

SAM MCKEE: It's his son. Mr. Muscleman right there. You guys are the leading owners here at the racetrack this year. Quite a role, Mr. Muscleman, you're in the Meadowlands Pace with Allamerican Inca.

ADAM VICTOR: Yeah, it's been a great thrill all year long. We've had some great horses. Noel Daley and us have been a great team. He couldn't ask for anything better.

SAM MCKEE: All American Inca recent throat surgery. Is he where he needs to be fitness-wise to compete on Saturday?

ADAM VICTOR: No, he definitely isn't. We wish we had one or two more real races into him. He always planned we wanted the Meadowlands Pace to be the sixth start. We purposely missed the Canadian race with this in mind. We ran into some problems there, the Hoosier Cup. We did a minor throat surgery, had him on Lasix. He definitely will improve as the year goes on. He's only had six starts. Him and Village Jolt have the least amount in the field. We feel this race may have come a couple weeks short for us.

SAM MCKEE: Dave Miller is listening on the conference call. Do you have a Plan B for a driver if Miller goes that way?

ADAM VICTOR: If Miller chooses Team Hutch, we'd like to get Luc down from Canada. If not, there's plenty of good drivers at the Meadowlands that would like to drive a colt of his ability if not for the Pace for the rest of the year, that it is for sure.

SAM MCKEE: We hate to get off the Pace topic, but Mr. Muscleman, one of the leading candidates for horse of the year. Can you believe what he's accomplishing this year?

ADAM VICTOR: No, it's absolutely unreal. We talked to Ron Pierce and Noel about it all the time. I think we'll only appreciate it once his racing career is over, which is hopefully not for a couple of years. Hopefully he'll give us three or four more years of absolute pleasure. Every race he goes out, we feel like we have a winner. It's unreal.

KEN WARKENTIN: The stage is set now for another great Pace Night, the Meadowlands Pace.