by James Witherite, Meadowlands
media relations
Crosbys Clam Bake stuns at
29-1 in M1 Open Trot
East Rutherford, N.J. -- After
favourites dominated at The Meadowlands last week, Friday (December 4)
evening’s 13-race card kicked off with three consecutive odds-on choices all
handed defeat.
The upsets continued in the
evening’s featured $25,000 Open Handicap Trot, which saw Crosbys Clam Bake
upset at 29-1, striking the front in just the final yards to collar pacesetter
Waiting On a Woman for a 1:53.3 victory. A midpack leave attempt landed
the 5-year-old Kadabra gelding just off the pace, stalking the sharp Waiting On
a Woman (Corey Callahan) and Opulent Yankee (Andy Miller) through a :27.1
initial quarter. Locked in by outer flow headed by Handover Belle
(Yannick Gingras) through middle sectionals of :56.2 and 1:24.4, driver Scott
Zeron wouldn’t be availed room until the eighth pole, where he wedged Crosbys
Clam Back out from between a one-paced Opulent Yankee and a resurgent Handover
Belle—who stalled briefly upon exiting the far turn. Once Crosbys Clam
Bake shook free, he accelerated up to the winning post, driven to defeat
Waiting On a Woman in the final yards by a scant neck while staving off
Handover Belle’s comeback rally. Master of Law (David Miller), sent off
the 7-5 favourite, only mustered a fourth-place finish off his second-over trip.
Andrew Federico, Jr. trains
20-time winner Crosbys Clam Bake for Randy Bendis, Jack Piatt, II, and Tom
Pollack.
In the $20,000 “Dash for the
‘G’ Notes” final for distaff pacers, the Shaun Vallee-trained and driven Jungle
Genie N notched her third Stateside win in as many starts in upset fashion, but
only as the 9-2 third choice. After stalking a pressured pace from the
mid-division, Vallee angled the 6-year-old Bettor’s Delight mare second-over
with five-eighths of the mile remaining, only really towed closer when Pan Luis
Obispo (Callahan) accelerated at the apex of the far turn. With odds-on
pacesetter Solid Queen (Gingras) starting to toil at head-stretch, Jungle Genie
N kicked cover, drawing off to a two-length victory over Pan Luis Obispo
in 1:52.3. Weekend Getaway (Andy Miller) mounted a mild stand-side rally
to take third from her fourth-over trip, while Solid Queen ultimately faded to
finish last but one.
Total handle for the Friday
card was $2,758,743, an increase of $485,278 compared to the same Friday last
season ,or 21-percent.
Live racing continues at The
Meadowlands with a 13-race program on Saturday (December 5) evening, featuring
a pair of $20,000 “Dash for the ‘G’ Notes” events. Post time is 7:00 p.m.
Eastern.
