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Sunday, January 27, 2019

TUXEDO BAY SCORES IN BIG M FEATURE



By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Tuxedo Bay proved that he belonged in the Preferred Handicap ranks on Jan. 12 when he finished a heart-breaking second to a game Constntlysidewys A. Saturday night in the Meadowlands’ weekly pacing feature, he scored some revenge.
Tuxedo Bay does his best racing on or near the front end, and over a track that favored speed, driver Eric Carlson rolled the 5-year-old gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere-Spring Break to the top in a brisk :27 while parked. The Mark Silva trainee, sent to the gate as the co-third choice in the wagering at 4-1, continued on the point to the half in :55.3 as Constntlysidewys A, also 4-1, grinded his way toward the leader.
K Ryan Bluechip, the 3-2 favorite, got a live tow from Constntlysidewys A and appeared to be in perfect striking position second-over but did not fire through the stretch in a sub-par performance. A determined Tuxedo Bay held off Constntlysidewys A through the lane to record a three-quarter length win in a lifetime-best 1:50.2 over a track with a minus one-second speed variant with temperatures right around the freezing mark. Dover Downs invader Bags To Riches was third, with Divas Image fourth and K Ryan Bluechip fifth.
Silva owns the winner, who returned $10.40 to his backers. Tuxedo Bay now has 12 wins in 60 lifetime starts and earnings of $156,518.
A LITTLE MORE: The dynamic duo of trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras were at it again, teaming up to win three races for a second straight night, locking up Driver and Trainer of the Week honors. … As usual, betting was strong in the 50-Cent Pick-4, as $104,363 was pushed through the windows, reaching six figures for the fourth time in 2019. … In addition to Gingras, Carlson also guided three horses to victory lane. … All-source wagering was vigorous again, as a 2019-best $2,891,708 was bet on the 13-race card, meaning that at least $2.5 million in action has been taken on seven of the eight programs contested this year. … Racing resumes Friday at 7:15 p.m.