Ford hopes to burn oil

He may have been initially purchased to race in the claiming ranks, but Moonlite Jazz is now one of the top contenders heading into the $57,500 Oil Burner on Saturday night at the Meadowlands. The colt is one of two entrants trainer Mark Ford will start in the final of the three-week Oil Burner Series for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers.



"He has been a very pleasant surprise,� Ford said. “We got him as a $25,000 claimer here and then sent him to Toronto. He has been progressing. He has a great attitude, and he wants to be a racehorse."



Moonlite Jazz posted back-to-back wins in the preliminary legs of the Oil Burner series. In the opening round, the son of Cam’s Card Shark breezed to a 1:53 victory on the front end. Last week, he rallied from off the pace to win in 1:53.3. The colt set a mark of 1:51.4 in a conditioned race at Mohawk in September.



Owned by the L.A. Express Stable (Amy and Louis Manfredi) of Lincoln University, Pa., Moonlite Jazz has won eight of his 28 starts this season and banked $64,133. He will start from post nine in the Oil Burner final with Mike Lachance in the sulky and will be coupled in the wagering with stablemate Super Eighty Eight. The entry is rated 7-2 in the morning line.



Super Eighty Eight has been a model of consistency, hitting the board in 18 of his 20 starts this season and winning six. The Jenna’s Beach Boy colt was a $57,000 yearling purchase by John Como and John Como Jr. of Towaco, N.J.



"We had him all year,� Ford said. “He has split time between here and Kentucky. He is a nice colt and has won his share. He is nothing special, but he gets a little chunk here and there."



In the first leg of the Oil Burner, Super Eighty Eight brushed to the lead past the opening quarter but gave way in the final strides to finish third, beaten by neck. In the second leg of the series, he carved the fractions again, but was out-sprinted in the stretch by his stablemate, Moonlite Jazz.



"(In the opening leg), he ran off and got caught,� said Ford. “(In the second leg), he was relaxed and easy to drive. He should do OK." (Meadowlands)

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