By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Favorites
failed in every leg of the 50-Cent Pick-5 at the Meadowlands Saturday night,
and that suited two shrewd handicappers – one wagering into the Elite Turf Club
hub and the other in the Catskills – just fine.
With a carryover of $30,928 serving
as the catalyst for $177,835 in new money wagered, there was quite a bit of
buzz for Pick-5 players, who, as it turned out, were vying for a total pool in
excess of $200,000.
The key to the sequence turned out to
be the fourth race, when after winners scored at odds of 5-1, 8-1 and 18-1,
there were no doubt many tickets that singled 1-5 favorite Pauly Wally. But
after he went a tough trip behind dull cover and failed as 5-1 chance Democracy
N scored, giant payoffs popped up when the Pick-5 will pays were shown.
After Foxland and driver Victor Kirby
scored at 5-1 in the fifth race, the two lucky players that held tickets with
the combination of 5-2-6-2-6 cashed in for $72,149.45. Kirby ended up playing a
huge role in the wager, guiding the winners of the first and fifth races, and,
in addition, also having driven Pauly Wally.
HANDLE TOPS
$3M: All-source wagering on the 13-race card totaled $3,205,559, the third
best night of the meeting.
The “new” money
bet into the Pick-5 led to a total pool of $389,201 in the first race with four
other races during the course of the evening having total pools that topped
$250,000.
The magic
$3-million mark has now been reached at the Meadowlands 10 times in 2019. The
meet best of $3.6 million was wagered on March 2.
THAT WAS
SOMETHIN’: In the featured $30,000 Preferred Handicap for 4-year-olds on
the pace, Shnitzledosomethin pulled off an upset at odds of 8-1 for trainer
Dylan Davis and driver Corey Callahan.
Callahan put
the son of Fred And Ginger-Summer N Sand in a live second-over flow before
collaring leader Albergo Hanover at the head of the stretch after moving
three-wide on the far turn. He had to hold off even-money favorite Hayden
Hanover, who was closing ground in deep stretch, but the wire came just in
time, and Shnitzledosomethin held on by a head in a lifetime-best 1:49.1. Rock
Lights finished third.
THE CAPTAIN
WINS 6: Callahan won two of the first seven races on the card before
catching fire. The 41-year-old pilot, known as “The Captain”, then swept the
50-Cent Pick-4 by taking races eight through 11. He scored in the first leg
with a 7-2 shot but then three favorites followed (2-5, 4-5 and 4-5) to create
an extremely popular payout of $27.65.
Had he won once
more, he would have tied Yannick Gingras’ single-card meet best of seven
winners, which he established on Feb. 1.
A LITTLE
MORE: There was something for every player as favorites lost each of the
first eight races before winning the last five on the card. … Kirby, Vinny
Ginsburg and Eric Abbatiello all recorded driving doubles on the program. … The
fifth race 20-Cent Jackpot Super High-Five did not result in a single-ticket
winner, ballooning the carryover to $105,608. … Racing resumes Friday at 7:15
p.m.
