Eight in a row a Breeze

Nuclear Breeze cruised to his eighth straight victory and won the opening leg of the Presidential Series Saturday night at the Meadowlands. Nuclear Breeze, the 1-5 betting favorite, hit the wire in 1:49.3, with Load The Dice second and Hop Sing third.

The 9-horse race got underway with GEorge Brennan firing Hop Sing away from the gate and taking the early lead. After the first quarter was pased in :27, Yannick Gingras sent Load The Dice up to take command. As Load The Dice began to clear, Brian Sears made his move from fourth at the pylons with Nuclear Breeze in the :27 second panel.

The field was bunched up in the final turn, but once Nuclear Breeze hit the straightaway he began to open up on his foes. Hop Sing, who was locked in on the final turn, finally shook loose and rallied, but no one threatened Nuclear Breeze.

Roger Hans trains Nuclear Breeze for Thomas Cooke of Rockville, Md. Cooke also bred the 5-year-old stallion by Nuclear High, a horse he also raced.

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