By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Muscle
Diamond and Pure Country lived up to their billing as post-time favorites in
taking the co-features at the Meadowlands Friday night.
Driver Andy McCarthy, whose three
winners on the night upped his meet-leading total to 17, guided Muscle Diamond
to victory in the $20,000 Preferred Handicap for trotters. The trip wasn’t an
easy one, but the Brett Bittle trainee was up for the challenge.
Racing sixth past the quarter,
McCarthy tipped the 6-year-old son of Muscle Hill-Windylane Hanover to the
outside as they began their march toward the leader, who was 2015 Hambletonian
champion (and 5-2 second choice) Pinkman.
Muscle Diamond chipped away at the
leader’s edge around the far turn and was on even terms with that foe with an
eighth of a mile to go before drawing clear to a three-quarter length win in
1:52.4. Will Take Charge rallied to gun down Pinkman for the place spot.
As the 3-5 public choice, Muscle
Diamond returned $3.20 to his backers in winning his fourth straight.
Pure Country, the winner of the 2017
TVG Mare Pace, gave notice that a repeat might be coming next week as she won
the co-featured $20,000 Preferred Handicap for pacing fillies and mares in
1:51. Monica Gallagher was second with her entry mate, Windsun Glory, third.
The Jimmy Takter-trained Pure Country
was put in the four hole early by driver Yannick Gingras and opted to stay
there until swinging to the outside at the five-eighths. Shortly thereafter,
Monica Gallagher popped out of the two hole, providing live – albeit
short-lived – cover for the eventual winner.
Through the stretch, Monica Gallagher
was determined, but so was the even-money public choice Pure Country, who
gunned down that foe nearing the wire, notching a pulse-pounding head score.
Pure Country, a 5-year-old daughter
of Somebeachsomewhere-Western Montana, returned $4.20 to win. She has now won
27 of 62 lifetime starts and earned $2,418,249.
A LITTLE MORE: One lucky simulcast player wagering
into the Oregon hub was the only bettor to last six races – and was the lone
winner – in the 20-Cent Survivor Pick-10 and walked away with $12,326. … The
50-Cent Pick-5 came back $1,174, a healthy payout when you consider the odds of
the winning horses in the sequence were 2-1, 5-2, 3-1, 3-5 and 18-1. The 18-1
shot was listed at 4-1 on the morning line. … All-source handle on the 11-race card
was $1,966,181. … Racing resumes Saturday night at 7:15 p.m. Horse of the Year
favorite McWicked will prep for next week’s TVG Open Pace by racing in the
$20,000 Preferred Handicap.
