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Saturday, December 12, 2015

Miller Time at The Meadowlands

by Darin Zoccali
It was Miller Time early and often on Friday night at The Meadowlands.  “The Buckeye” won three of the first seven races on the program, who has not slowed down since winning five Breeders Crown Championships in Canada.  One of his three Friday night wins was a 38-1 upset in the $20,000 Dash For The “G NOTES” Trotting Final.
Ulster was sent off as the 2-1 favorite and led at the first three point of calls through strong fractions of 27.1, 55.2 and 1:25, but he could not sustain that speed in the stretch.  In the meantime, Massacaia was handled smartly off the gate and found a comfortable spot on the pylons stalking the speed.  When the leader kicked away on the far turn, Miller was able to guide his horse to the outside and he quickly reeled in the favorite and opened up impressively to win going away for a lifetime best victory of 1:54.1.
Longshot Soapy Sap, making her 97th career start at The Meadowlands, rallied up the pylons to finish second, while Fox Valley Legend overcame a tough trip where he was stacked up last with dull cover to finish third.
The winner was conditioned by Jason Robinson for owner Robert Main.
Cash Poor reached the $100,000 plateau for the 2015 racing season with a win in the $20,000 Open II Trot on Friday night at The Meadowlands.
Sent to the post as the 1/2 prohibitive betting choice, Cash Poor was allowed to relax mid-pack in the early going before launching a backstretch brush to the lead.  The seven year old gelding reached the half-mile in a sharp 55.2, but quickly faced a challenge from the oncoming Hyway Marcus, who was racing on Lasix for the first time for conditioner Ron Burke.  The pair reached three-quarters in 1:24.2 while racing on even terms.  But in the stretch, Cash Poor found another gear and accelerated away for Dave Miller to win convincingly in 1:53.1, a new lifetime mark.  Hyway Marcus raced well to be second, while longshot KLM Express rounded out the trifecta.

The win was the 10th on the season for Cash Poor, for trainer Harold Reddick Jr., who conditions the trotter for Traylor Racing L.L.C..