On a
brisk December night at The Meadowlands, a $22,500 B-1/A-2 Filly and Mare
Handicap Pace headlined a robust overnight card with full and competitive
fields.
Sent off as the 2-1 favorite, Coffee Addict, the runner-up at this level the
previous week, was allowed to settle off the pace for Corey Callahan. A
keyed up Crazy On You made the lead to the quarter in 27.2 before yielding to
the brush of Momma Rock, who would take the field into the stretch, through
fractions of 54.4 and 1:23.2. With Montenegro applying persistent
pressure to the leader, Coffee Addict was able to track the first over
Montenegro while sitting in perfect stalking position second over. Callahan
flipped his mare out and she rolled through the stretch, holding off the rallying
UF Dragon’s Queen to score in 1:51.3. The winner is owned by James Clarke
Sr. and Andrew Altobelli and trained by Bruce Saunders.
With the winter late closer series’ just a few weeks away at The
Meadowlands, those prepping for the January events took to the track Friday
night. One trotter in particular emerged as a potential horse to beat in
one of those events, The Super Bowl.
In the first race, a non-winners of two trotting event, Opulent Yankee was sent
off as a 1/9 favorite and did not disappoint. Leaving from post five with
Andy Miller in the sulky, Opulent Yankee was allowed to settle just off the
speed through a 29-second opening quarter. From there, Miller guided his
trotter to the outside, where Opulent Yankee accelerated and moved to the lead
and would never look back. The son of Muscles Yankee wheeled through
fractions of 57 and 1:26.4 under no urging whatsoever. That continued in
the stretch, as Miller didn’t have to move a muscle with Opulent Yankee
dominating through the stretch to win in 1:55.3. It was the second
lifetime win for the $4,000 Harrisburg yearling. His other win came at
The Red Mile in a sparkling 1:51.4. Opulent Yankee is owned by Jeff
Gural’s Little E L.L.C. and trained by Julie Miller.
Mistery Woman got back to her winning ways, scoring a decisive victory in the
$20,000 B-2/B-1 Handicap Trot. Sent off as the 6/5 favorite, Mistery
Woman sat off the pace through fractions of 28- and 56-seconds flat, before
following the move of Up Front Billy, securing the lead on the way to three
quarters in 1:24.2 and leveling off in the stretch to score in 1:53.3 with
Corey Callahann in the bike. Earlier in the season, Mistery Woman
defeated 2013 Horse of the Year, Bee A Magician as well as the 2014 Aged Mare
Trotter of the Year, Classic Martine in the Allerage Trot for Fillies and Mares
at The Red Mile. Tonight, she held off the late rally of the talented
Master of Law to earn the victory. Mistery Woman is owned by Millstream
Stable L.L.C and Aldebaran Park Inc. and trained by Jonas Czernyson.
In the third race, a $20,000 B-2/B-1 Handicap Trot for three year
olds, Mister Anson pulled the upset of the night, scoring at 31-1. It
Really Matters, led through an opening quarter of 27.4 before yielding to 3/5
favorite Odds On Amethystm, who trotted on the lead for the next three eighths
of a mile, before breaking stride midway through the far turn, allowing It
Really Matters to inherit the lead. But, Mister Anson was just behind the
new leader through three quarters of 1:24.2 where he pounced on the leader,
drawing clear to win rather easily, despite paying $64 to win. The
victory made it back to back wins for Mister Anson for Darrell Tibbetts and
trainer David Duspiva. Mark MacDonald guided the son of Conway Hall to
that second consecutive win.
The thirteenth race Jackpot Super Hi-5 went unclaimed again,
sparking a carryover of $11,900.53 into the thirteenth race Jackpot Super Hi-5
on Saturday night.
Total handle for the Friday program was $2,701,379 yielding an
increase of nearly five percent compared to the $2,593,468 wagered on this same
Friday in 2013.
Racing resumes on Saturday, with first post time at 7:15 P.M.
