Meadowlands Pace wrap-up

by Bob Heyden

The 50th edition of the Meadowlands Pace is now in the books. Let’s take a look at the moments and numbers that stood out from this past weekend at The Meadowlands.

1. Dexter Dunn breaks through with his very first Pace score; same for trainer Andrew Harris. This is the 12th time since 2000 that both the driver and the trainer busted down the door in the same year.

2. Winning sire Downbytheseaside was edged out in 2017 by arch-rival Huntsville in the Pace final. He was also second in the North America Cup that year to Fear The Dragon. Downbytheseaside’s son Brandon Blvd was also second this year in the NA Cup to Odds On Mr Mamba before holding off three rivals in the 2026 Pace in a thrilling stretch duel.

3. This year’s Pace marked the seventh time that the North America Cup runner-up came back and got the Pace trophy: Frugal Gourmet (1987), Mach Three (2002), Roll With Joe (2011), Wiggle It Jiggleit (2015), Horse of the Year Confederate (2023), and Madden Oaks (2025).

4. Can Dexter Dunn do what has not been done in 35 years, and win his first Pace and Hambletonian in the very same year? Jack Moiseyev did it in 1991 with Precious Bunny and Giant Victory following Bill O’Donnell in 1985 with Nihilator and Prakas after George Sholty did it first at two different tracks with Sonsam in the Pace and Legend Hanover at DuQuoin in the Hambletonian. Dunn drives this year’s winterbook Hambletonian favorite Apex.

5. In that incredibly tight Pace final photo with four across the track, trainer Ron Burke was second and fourth with Al Papi and Melillo, respectively. Incredibly the top six money-winning trainers of all time are still looking to break through in the Pace: Burke, Jimmy Takter, Erv Miller, Bob McIntosh, Virgil Morgan, and Noel Daley. But, numbers seven through 10 all have won the Pace: Tony Alagna (2013), Brett Pelling (1995, 1997, 1999, 2005, and 2023), Linda Toscano (2019), and Mark Ford (2000).

6. With a unique stat, Yannick Gingras made his Meadowlands Pace debut in 2004 and finished second with Timesareachanging as the youngest driver (24) in the race. In 2026 he was again second with Al Papi and at 46, he was the oldest driver in the race.

7. In a surprise, the fastest mile on Meadowlands Pace Night came in the opener in a NW $15,000 when Best Chip went 1:46.4.

8. Dunn is the first driver from the land Down Under to win the Pace. He will now try to join both Andy and Todd McCarthy on Hambletonian Day as the third to take that Classic.

9. Every sire in the 2026 Meadowlands Pace raced in it themselves, but only Tall Dark Stranger won it in 2020.

10. Twin B Joe Fresh took her third-straight Dorothy Haughton Memorial to improve to $2,994,049 lifetime. That’s about three-quarters-of-a-million from the all-time pacing mare mark of $3,748,574 set 20 years back by Eternal Camnation.

RIP KEN WOOD

Ken Wood passed away on Pace Day. Ironically it was 11 years to the day that his own J L Cruze erupted to a 1:49.4 new Meadowlands all-time best for trotters with John Campbell in the bike. Wood also enjoyed plenty of success with Anders Bluestone, Getting Personal, and J R Skyline. For those unfamiliar with the name, Wood devoted much of his life drilling water wells for those in need. Over 4,000 of them. He never put himself first, always wanted to help, and parlayed his good fortune from racing into the betterment of others. The rarest of the rare.