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Saturday, April 6, 2013

M! - Day Blue Chip, Sevruga Shine at Meadowlands


Day Blue Chip had an easy time with the other eight pacing mares in the first leg of the Night Styles series on Friday night at the Meadowlands, skipping off to an open length 1:54.4 win.

Corey Callahan, continuing to hold the hot hand with another trio of winners, steered Day Blue Chip to the front past the quarter. A relaxed middle half of one minute sealed the deal and she sprinted home in a wind-aided :27- for the score.

Linda Toscano trains the lightly raced four year old to her fourth tally in a mere seven career starts for Blue Chip Bloodstock, Inc.

In the $30,000 A-1/FFA Handicap Trot Sevruga turned the tables on Ice Machine taking the field wire to wire in 1:54. Opening night tracked from the pocket through manageable fractions, but could not get to Sevruga late. Ice Machine didn't see daylight until the stretch and rallied well to be third.

Sevruga is owned by KDM Stables of Farmingdale, New York and is trained by Julie Miller.  Andy Miller was the winning driver.

It was another successful Friday night at the betting windows.  The total handle of $3,319,411 marked an increase of $992,443 from this same day in 2012, or 43 percent.  The Live Handle showed an increase of nearly 10 percent as well.  In addition, the Late Pick 4 Bonus for players wagering with their Big M Club Card at either the Meadowlands or Winners returned a 10 percent bonus of $118.32.

Racing resumes Saturday night with a 13-race program that gets underway at 7:15 P.M.