Will Jet fly in Big M Pace?

Although he is still looking for her first win of 2006, it would be hard not to have high expectations for Jereme’s Jet in the first of two $50,000 Meadowlands Pace elimination races Saturday night at the Meadowlands. At two the son of Western Hanover-Ohyouprettything had six wins in seven starts and earned divisional honors as the 2-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year.

With victories in the Governor’s Cup at Woodbine and the Breeders Crown at the Meadowlands, he had compiled a freshman season bankroll of more than $1 million for Jolene Ann Leahy’s Genesis Racing Stable of Plainfield, Ill.

This year, however, Jereme’s Jet is still winless after three starts, all made at Woodbine. After opening his 2006 season with a second in a division of the Burlington, he finished fourth in his North America Cup elim and faded to sixth in the $1.3 million final on June 17. A new month and a new venue might make the difference for the colt.

"He's doing very well,” said trainer Tom Harmer. “He pulled into New Jersey around six on Wednesday night. It's about a 13 to 14-hour ship from the farm here (in Illinois) to there. He's a very good shipper. You'll find that most top horses are. Top horses seem to do most everything well. Jereme’s Jet has had no problems at all. Everything’s on 'go' for him. His blood, his throat--everything is fine. No excuses.

"It's kind of funny how it worked out,” Harmer added. “My entire barn had a bad month in June. That's why you look forward to July. We'll just move forward."

"So far, he hasn't stepped up like some of the others,” acknowledged Paul MacDonell, the colt’s regular driver. “But he went home to get it together. He'll be back to fight another day. It can happen. He's got the parts to be right back at the top. I raced him like he was the best his first few starts. After the year he had last year, the expectations were high, of course."

The speedster did get a break in the draw and will leave from the rail in his Pace elim and is rated at 7-2 in the morning line. On the other hand, he fill be facing one of the toughest 3 year olds currently in training: North America Cup and Hoosier Cup winner Total Truth, the 8-5 pre-race favorite.

To advance to the $1 million Meadowlands Pace on July 15, Jereme’s Jet will have to finish in the top five of his elim, joining the top quintet from the second division.

Harmer’s only previous start in the Meadowlands Pace was as the driver-trainer of Long Fella in 1984, finishing sixth. MacDonell made two previous starts as a driver, finishing seventh with Village Jove in 1997 and sixth with Rustler Hanover in 1998. (Meadowlands)

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