East Rutherford, N.J. --
Trainer Julie Miller's stable accounts for the morning-line favourites of both
Open Trots on Friday (December 18) evening's 14-race card at The Meadowlands,
and over $150,000 in guaranteed pools and carryovers await punters on a card
that boasts 10- and 11-horse fields all round.
The featured $25,000
Open 1 Handicap Trot is carded as the evening's eighth race, coinciding with
the start of a $50,000 guaranteed Late Pick 4. Julie Miller sends out 5-2
morning line favourite Opulent Yankee from post 7 for the partnership of Little
E, Geiger, Settlemoir, and Stolz. The 4-year-old Muscles Yankee gelding
is rounding into form, most recently chasing Handover Belle in last week's Open
after emerging out of traffic a quarter mile from the winning post. Andy
Miller will once again drive the 8-time winner. Among Opulent Yankee's
toughest competition are Waiting On a Woman (post 5, Corey Callahan), a winner
of two straight upper-level events for trainer Kyle Spagnola before a game
defeat at this level last week; top-level Philadelphia shipper and Ron Burke
trainee Appomattox (post 6, Yannick Gingras); and Crosbys Clam Bake (post 9,
Scott Zeron), who sprung a 29-1 upset over Open foes for the Andy Federico
stable a fortnight ago.
A sub-featured $20,000
Open 2 Handicap Trot is scheduled two races earlier, and Miller trainee Lindy's
Tru Grit was assigned post position 10 after a lengthy stakes campaign through
the summer and fall months. The 5-year-old Cantab Hall entire qualified
sharply last week after a two-month layoff, sprinting off to defeat Crazshana
by over 11 lengths in a 1:54.4 mile. Andy Miller handles the driving
duties of the 2-1 morning line favourite for the Lindy Racing Stable and Robert
Rudolph. Like his stablemate later in the evening, Lindy's Tru Grit will
have to tackle a fit Burke trainee invading from Harrah's Philadelphia in March
Awareness (post 7, Gingras).
In addition to the
standard $105,000 in guaranteed pools throughout the evening's Pick 5 and twin
Pick 4s, both Jackpot High-5 wagers bring carryovers into Friday's card.
In the fifth race, the 20-cent wager carries a $7,181.28 progressive jackpot,
while $34,296.44 will be added to the 14th race pool should a lone winner
emerge.
Post time for Friday's
program at The Meadowlands is 7:00 p.m. EST. For more information on
racing, dining, and entertainment at The Meadowlands, visit playmeadowlands.com.
