By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Apple Bottom
Jeans stamped herself as the favorite for next week’s $54,500 Burning Point
Series final with a monstrous win in the first division of the second and final
leg of the event for pacing mares Saturday night at the Meadowlands.
Sent to the gate as the 2-5 favorite,
‘ABJ’ sat a four hole past the quarter as 2-1 second choice Bettorhaveanother
was on the point. Apple Bottom Jeans moved to the outside at three-eighths, got
up to the leader’s throat on the far turn, and then drew clear to a 2¾-length
victory in a lifetime-best 1:50.1 for driver Victor Kirby and trainer Kevin
Switzer. Bettorhaveanother was second with Tica Hanover third.
The 5-year-old daughter of Mr Apples
returned $2.80 to win.
Valuable Art ($4.60 to win as the 6-5
public choice) made the lead at the quarter in the other Burning Point division
and after being passed by a pesky Windsun Glory in mid-stretch, came back to
record a thrilling nose win over that foe in 1:51.2. Stormtracker was third.
The winner, a 5-year-old daughter of
Art Official, was driven by Corey Callahan and trained by Shaun Callahan.
Barimah A ($5.60 as the 9-5 second
choice) made the lead at the three-eighths and kept 3-5 favorite Windsong Leo
at bay throughout the final quarter to record a three-quarter-length win in the
lone division of the second leg of the Whata Baron Series for horses and
geldings on the pace. Hug The Wind N third.
Barimah A is an 8-year-old gelded son
of Bettor’s Delight who completed the mile in 1:50.4. He was driven by Andy
Miller and trained by Scott Di Domenico and is the likely favorite for next
week’s $53,500 Whata Baron final.
A LITTLE MORE: The Pick-4 continues to be as popular
as any multi-leg bet in all of harness racing as the total pool topped the
$100,000 mark ($105,082) for the third time this year. … All-source wagering
totaled $2,328,218 on the 10-race card. … The Late 20-Cent Jackpot Super
High-Five failed once again to result in a single-ticket winner, inching the
carryover ever closer to the $200,000 mark, at $192,943. … The 20-Cent Survivor
Pick-10 had a record-setting night, as the biggest pool in the history of the
wager, $25,061, was the total play. For those who survived all 10 races, the
reward was a payoff of $7,633. … Favorites ruled as post-time choices won
14-of-20 races over the course of the Big M’s Friday-Saturday race week. … Live
action resumes at the Meadowlands Friday at 7:15 p.m.
