Always A Virgin 9-5 choice in $1 million contest

Meadowlands Pace elimination winner Always A Virgin has been installed the 9-5 morning-line choice for the $1 million final Saturday night at the Meadowlands, leaving from the three post which was chosen by his connections. At the post position draw held Tuesday afternoon at the Meadowlands, Always A Virgin’s post was chosen second after connections of the other elim winner, Running Book, selected post two.

Always A Virgin’s 1:50 elim win was the son of Western Ideal’s third straight victory. Brian Sears will remain in the sulky for Saturday’s final; he also won in with Running Book, who was installed the 4-1 second choice by track oddsmaker Dave Brower with George Brennan picking up the drive from trainer Bill Elliott. Running Book’s 1:48.4 winning effort in the elim equaled the fastest Pace elim in history.

“I want to win the Meadowlands Pace,” said Always A Virgin’s trainer Joe Holloway after the elim victory, also adding, “Always A Virgin is the kind of horse I think can win it.” Holloway is seeking his first-ever Meadowlands Pace win.

Sears is attempting to win his second Meadowlands Pace, having scored his first in 2005 with Rocknroll Hanover. Brennan also has a lone Meadowlands Pace score on his resume, that coming back in 1996 with Hot Lead.

Kenneth J is the 5-1 second choice from post seven as Linda Toscano attempts to become the first female trainer to win the Meadowlands Pace. A New York Sire Stakes champion last year at two, Kenneth J’s biggest victory this year came in the Empire Breeders Classic at Tioga Downs. Ron Pierce, who won the 1997 Meadowlands Pace with Dream Aways, will be in the sulky.

Other contenders listed at single-digit odds (8-1) are Art Rooney winner Southwind Lynx, who will leave from post five with the sport’s leading dash –and money-winning driver Tim Tetrick, and North America Cup winner Tell All, who drew post one with driver Jody Jamieson.

Here is the complete field for the $1 million Meadowlands Pace, presented by TVG:

PP Horse (driver) Odds

1. Tell All (Jody Jamieson) 8-1

2. Running Book (George Brennan) 4-1

3. Always A Virgin (Brian Sears) 9-5

4. Pandora’s Sox (Andy Miller) 15-1

5. Southwind Lynx (Tim Tetrick) 8-1

6. Watta Hotshot (Mike Lachance) 20-1

7. Kenneth J (Ron Pierce) 5-1

8. Trueys Legacy (Mike Vanderkemp) 20-1

9. Sutter Hanover (David Miller) 10-1

10. Artriverderci (John Campbell) 10-1

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