SAUNDERS EYES ANOTHER 'A' EFFORT FROM MANOLETE IN NJSS FINAL

HIGHTSTOWN, NJ -- May 22, 2025 -- Manolete is the type of horse who always strives to deliver a top effort, and trainer Bruce Saunders is expecting nothing less when the colt gets behind the starting gate for Saturday’s (May 24) $225,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes championship for 3-year-old male pacers at The Meadowlands.

Ranked No. 7 in Dave Little’s Road to the Meadowlands Pace Top 10, Manolete has finished no worse than second in 13 of 16 career races, winning six and earning $250,993. In his two NJSS preliminary starts this season, he missed by a nose on May 3 and posted a career-best 1:50.3 victory on May 10 at The Big M.

In Saturday’s final, Manolete will leave from post one with driver Scott Zeron. He is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line behind Noel Daley’s Smooth Dream at 2-1.

“Manolete is going into the race in good shape,” said Saunders, who trains the son of Cattlewash-Glancewithme for owners M And L of Delaware and M & M Harness Racing. “The week off did him good. He always brings his ‘A’ game, so we’re all looking forward to it.

“He’s just a terrific horse. He loves his job, loves his life. I think that’s part of the reason he shows up. His caretaker (Doreen Dailey) pampers him like a pet, and he responds.”

Last year, Manolete had five wins and five seconds in 12 races. He won both of his NJSS prelims and finished second by a head against McCusker in the final. In his next start, he was second to Captain Optimistic in the New Jersey Classic.

Two of Manolete’s victories in 2024 were on the Grand Circuit, including a division of the Kindergarten Classic Series. He was second to Papis Pistol in the Kindergarten final.

This year, Manolete was sixth against older horses in his seasonal debut, then second to Smooth Dream in the Home Grown Pace prior to his NJSS starts.

“He’s not going to win every race,” Saunders said. “He’s not going to be 1-2-3 every race. But I know for a fact he’ll show up and do his very best. That’s the kind of horse he is.”

Saunders said last year that Manolete might have been the smartest 2-year-old he ever trained.

“That hasn’t changed,” Saunders said. “He’s really intelligent. From day one, he knew exactly what to do.

“He’s a little bit more of a man this year as opposed to a boy. He doesn’t do anything stupid, but he doesn’t mind expressing himself or hollering at the girls. He makes sure they know he’s there. But once he gets his gear on, he forgets all that and is focused on his job.”

Manolete’s stakes list, aside from the Meadowlands Pace, includes the MGM Grand Messenger at MGM Yonkers Raceway, Tompkins-Geers and Cane Pace at The Big M, and Matron and Progress Pace at Bally’s Dover.

“We chose to stay close to home,” Saunders said. “There is plenty of money here if we are good enough to get it. I think we did the right thing for our horse.”

Manolete and Smooth Dream both head into Saturday’s NJSS final off wins. Smooth Dream, who will leave from post eight with driver Todd McCarthy, is undefeated in four races this season. Making History, who nipped Manolete in the event’s first round, is the 4-1 third choice from post three with Brett Beckwith in the sulky for trainer Tony Alagna.

“Noel’s horse was — and maybe still is — the best of the group, and there are several other horses that are viable in this event,” Saunders said. “Making History, when it became a brush race, used his quick speed to brush past us (in the first round). I don’t think it’s going to be a brush race this time, I think there is going to be continuous action because there are so many horses with speed that are on the outside.

“It’s going to be an interesting race. With the rail, Scott only has to look to his right side to see what’s going on and make his decision. We have a lot of confidence in Scott. He’s familiar with our horse and, to a certain extent, he’ll determine how fast the fractions are based on what he’s got in his mind, or how fast we push off the gate as well. But our guy will be ready.”

In Saturday’s $225,000 NJSS final for 3-year-old female pacers, defending series champion Reckless Abandon is the 9-5 morning line favorite. She won her second-round start in the event by a head over Worklifebalance after finishing second by a head against Beach Babe in the first round. Reckless Abandon will leave from post six with Todd McCarthy driving for trainer Brett Pelling.

Saturday’s Big M card also includes first-round NJSS action for 3-year-old male and female trotters, plus the first leg of the Miss Versatility Series for older female trotters.

Racing begins at 6:20 p.m. (EDT) at The Meadowlands. For free TrackMaster past performances for The Big M, visit the track’s website here.