In the most anticipated matchup of the season thus far, the Complex Series champ held off the Clyde Hirt winner by a half-length in 1:51.2. Itrustyou, with Yannick Gingras in the sulky, cleared the lead past the opening quarter, locked up with his rival around the final turn and was never in jeopardy en route to victory. Stonebridge Rocket was a locked-in third. Itrustyou paid $3.20.
The 4-year-old’s skein began October 30, 2011 with victories in the prelim and final of the Virginia Bred Championship at Colonial Downs. His streak also includes a sweep of the Valedictory Series at Woodbine. Itrustyou is perfect in four starts since arriving at the Meadowlands in January and 14-for-33 lifetime. Ron Burke trains the son of Third Straight, a career winner of $204,775, for his mother Sylvia’s Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, PA.
Burke and Gingras also teamed to win one of two $35,000 Cape & Cutter divisions on the card with Ginger And Fred. The 6-year-old mare danced home to an easy 1:50.4 victory. The millionairess, owned by Howard Taylor, Robert Feldman, Edwin Gold and Jerry Silva, improved her record to 24 wins in 84 career starts.
Whogoesfirst (1:50.3), Sonic Dancer (1:51.3) and Fearless Diablo (1:50.2) were all narrow victors in the remaining Exit 16W divisions, while Higher And Higher (1:52.1) nosed out Oceans Motion in the first Cape & Cutter split.
