Europan Union tunes up for Berry's Creek

Heavy favorites Ideal Matters and Europan Union lived up to expectations in the first round of the Matt’s Scooter Series on Saturday night at Meadowlands Racetrack.

 

Ideal Matters, with Tim Tetrick in the sulky, took command at the half and never looked back en route to a 3 3/4-length victory in 1:51.4. Terlingua finished second off a perfect journey behind the winner. Pike Hanover was a distanced third. The overwhelming 1-5 choice in the betting, Ideal Matters improved his record to three wins in four career starts.

 

Trainer Noel Daley is pointing the colt toward the $1 million Meadowlands Pace, the country’s richest event for 3-year-old colt pacers, on Saturday, July 17. The son of Western Ideal-Art Matters was a $60,000 yearling purchase at the 2008 Lexington Selected Sale by Brittany Farms, Adam Victor & Son Stable LLC, Melvin Hartman and John Fodera. He did not race at age two.

 

“He always had the ability, but had a sore ankle last year and it came at just the wrong time,” Daley’s assistant trainer, Mike Vanderkemp, noted.

 

Europan Union, rated at 3-5, pounced off a pocket trip to win the second Matt’s Scooter division in a career best 1:53.2, with Andy Miller in tow. BJ’s Bequia charged home in :26.3 to finish second, while Rockin The House held third after cutting the mile.

 

Trained by Erv Miller, Europan Union picked up his fourth career win, bringing his slate to an impressive 4-3-3 in 13 starts. Bred and owned by Robert Glazer’s Peter Pan Stables, the son of No Pan Intended-Pansatlantic is being aimed toward the $225,000 (est.) Berry’s Creek on Saturday, May 8.(Meadowlands)