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..
