The dice looks to throw a 5

It is not the usual praise heaped on a top level horse but Load The Dice has personality, and it does not hurt that he also has a nose for the winner’s circle and makes his 2007 debut in Saturday night’s $50,000 opening round of the Presidential Series at the Meadowlands.

The 5-year-old gelded son of Cam’s Card Shark is rated 5-1 in the morning line in the featured seventh race despite a four-race winning streak and total domination of the free-for-all ranks at Chicago’s Balmoral Park. He will have to get by another streaking pacer, Nuclear Breeze, the 3-2 favorite, who has a seven-race skein on the line.

“Load The Dice is on a major roll, and it couldn’t happen to a nicer animal,” said John McDermott, who will train him in New Jersey. “When this horse was sent to me last year (in July and August), he was the one I fell in love with. He and Real Mean Art have awesome personalities. Load The Dice is a horse that just keeps going. He’s in vicious form. Before he wasn’t as good as these, and now he’s as sharp as could be. I remember Four Starzzz Shark (another son of Cam’s Card Shark) got pretty good when he got older, so hopefully he’s like that.”

Last year, at four, Load The Dice posted a record of 12 wins, six seconds and three thirds from 34 starts, earning $188,148 toward a total of $367,960 for Illinois-based Engel Stables LLC and DR Van Witzenburg and the Sheffield Stable of Gladwyne, Pa. Lifetime, the pacer has finished in the money in 33 of 59 starts.

McDermott, who is stabled at the Meadowlands, also has two other prospects on Saturday night’s card – Armbro Acquire in race 11 for $75,000 to $100,000 claimers and I Believe Its True in race 13, a $25,000 to $35,000 claiming handicap.

“Armbro Acquire can definitely polish it off and go by, but you have tell Brian Sears and Mark Silva to get their horse (Florida Boy) away from mine,” he mused. “I just can’t seem to go by that one. There’s no shame in getting beat by Florida Boy. He’s a monster, and they’re doing the right thing with him. It just happens that we’ve caught a real sharp horse. Danny (driver Daniel Dube) has done such a great job racing our horse from off the pace. If they ever get over to the half in :54 like they’re supposed to, then he’s going to win some. I love this horse, and he went from being the best in the barn to the fourth best when one truck pulled up.

“I Believe Its True ships in real sharp and looks like he fits that class,” McDermott explained. “That’s a super class to have a horse in. He can be in there all season.”

McDermott, 42, from Lyndhurst, N.J., also has a busy Friday night with trio of entrants in the $20,000 opening round divisions of the three-week Complex Series. Real Mean Art is in race two, Western Glory in race three and Royal Man in race 11.

“I raced Real Mean Art here last year in the Meadowlands Pace,” he noted. “He was in real good form out there in Chicago. He sat too far back from post nine in his comeback race. He needed that one. I know that horse likes this track, and he seems to be ready. He’s facing a lot easier competition than when I last had him here.

“I have no history with Western Glory,” he said. “I looked at his lines and sometimes he has thrown in some nice races. He’s second start off the bench and second time Lasix, so it will be very interesting to see where he’s at.

“We raced Royal Man in the Meadowlands Pace consolation last year,” recalled McDermott who had 53 wins and $638,356 in purses in 2006. “He was definitely short then because he had just gotten over a horrible bout of sickness. So, he didn’t get a real chance to show what he can do here. He’s ready, and I expect him to race very well.

All but one (Armbro Acquire) of McDermott’s weekend warriors will be driven by Yannick Gingras.

“My successful relationship with Yannick Gingras continues, and I’m learning just as much from him as he is from me,” the former policeman explained. “He’s got tons of talent, and it’s great to have him on my side. When he came to the Meadowlands, he was overmatched and refused to accept it. He’s become as good or better than any of them. He was like a bull at first, always pushing. Now he’s more patient.” (Meadowlands)

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