Opulent Yankee triumphs in Big M Open Trot
by James Witherite, Meadowlands Media Relations
East Rutherford, N.J. -- Just as an impending snowstorm
closing in on the New York City metropolitan area did not interrupt Friday
(January 22) evening's 14-race program at The Meadowlands, eight rivals closed
in--but failed to engulf--Opulent Yankee ($4.60, part of entry) in the featured
$25,000 Open Handicap Trot, carded as race two.
Andy Miller floated forward with the 5-year-old Muscles
Yankee gelding at race's outset, working clear of Massacaia (Brett Miller) well
after a :27 initial quarter mile. Once assuming command, Opulent Yankee
kept at a sprightly tempo, reeling off intermediate splits of :55 and 1:23.3
while his stablemate Allerage Star (Scott Zeron) gradually gained into a joint
second with a boxed Massacaia. Off the far turn, Opulent Yankee kicked
clear at will, extending his lead to three lengths in mid-stretch before taken
in hand late for a 1:52.1 win, his first of 2016 and his ninth career
triumph. Detroit Rapper (Jim Marohn, Jr.) negotiated heavy traffic
through the stretch, splitting foes in the final sixteenth to just take second,
while 65-1 longshot A Little More Love (Joe Bongiorno) made a late push off
stalled cover to take third.
Julie Miller trains Opulent Yankee for the partnership of
Little E, Geiger, Settlemoir, and Stolz.
Later in the card, a pair of $15,000 sub-featured events
were contested, one for top-level conditioned distaff pacers and the other for
trotters which have not won six races. The distaff pace saw Ron Burke
trainee Tessa Seelster ($3.60) capture a second consecutive win, crossing and
clearing from her outside post 8, rating an uncontested lead, and holding clear
of a mildly chasing Not Before Eight (Anthony Napolitano) for a 1:51.2
victory. Yannick Gingras drove the 4-year-old Shadow Play mare.
While another Burke trainee in Its Huw You Know (Gingras)
set the pace in the sub-featured trotting event, he was collared in the final
yards by Paris Princess N ($8.80), who enjoyed a pocket trip throughout before
pouncing late to prevail in 1:54.3. Forever As (Tim Tetrick) rallied from
off the pace to take second, just half a length from the victorious 7-year-old
Diedre Don mare. Scott Zeron drove Paris Princess N for trainer Paul
Blumenfeld.
The evening's card amassed $2,636,111 in total handle, up
$96,749 from the corresponding Friday night card in 2015.
As Saturday's races have been abandoned and re-carded as
drawn for next Saturday (January 30), racing will return to The Meadowlands
next Friday (January 29). Both Jackpot High 5 pools carry over to next
week, with the seventh-race version of the 20-cent wager now boasting $11,602
in added money and the finale carrying $64,800 extra should one punter take
down the entire pool.
Post time will be 6:35 p.m. Eastern time. For more
information on racing, dining, and entertainment at The Meadowlands, visit playmeadowlands.com.
