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Saturday, October 31, 2020

ALLARD WINS FOUR AT BIG M

By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Simon Allard has taken full advantage of his opportunities at The Meadowlands over the last two months with many of the track’s regulars out of town racing on the Grand Circuit, and the Big M’s leading driver at the current Fall Meeting kept doing what he’s been doing of late by winning four times on the Friday night card.

Allard, currently fifth in the standings at Pocono Downs, upped his victory total to 24 at the New Jersey mile oval, with two of his scores coming in the fourth and final leg of the Kindergarten Classic for 2-year-olds.

The 38-year-old pilot got his night started with 9-5 second choice Hot As Hill (Muscle Hill-Smarty Pants), who came back along the rail to win the second race after yielding the front after the quarter. The Ron Burke trainee stopped the clock in 1:57 in the division for filly trotters, winning a second straight Kindergarten preliminary and marking herself as the one to beat in one of four finals (to take place on Nov. 7) which have purses totaling approximately $800,000.

Cash For Gold gave Allard his second winner in a low-end conditioned trot in the fourth race as the 5-2 second choice in 1:54.2 before his second Kindergarten score came in race eight with 9-1 outsider Three Way Split (Somebeachsomewhere-Take Into Account), a filly who won for the first time in five career starts. The Tony Alagna trainee paced the mile in 1:53.1.

Allard completed his “grand slam” by taking the 11th race low-end conditioned filly and mare pace with 2-1 favorite Avaya Hanover in 1:53.3, a lifetime best.

HE’S STILL GOT IT: Nine-year-old gelding JL Cruze, who five years ago became the first trotter ever to break the 1:50 barrier at The Meadowlands (1:49.4), was seen in the winner’s circle for the 39th time from 118 career starts after taking the ninth race mid-range conditioned overnight feature in 1:52.3.

The Eric Ell trainee, a son of Crazed-Topcat Hall who was driven by Corey Callahan, returned $3.40 to win as the heavy favorite.

A LITTLE MORE: Anoka Hanover upped her win streak to five in a Kindergarten filly trot in 1:56 for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Noel Daley. Another good-looking Kindergarten winner was colt pacer Simon Says Hanover, who scored in 1:52.2. Driven by George Napolitano Jr. and trained by Alagna, he’s now won four straight. … Napolitano had a big night, visiting the winner’s circle three times. … The 20-cent Pick-6 went unhit, creating a carryover of $5,181, leading Big M management to guarantee the next pool at $15,000. … All-source wagering totaled $1,881,656. … Racing resumes Saturday at 7:15 p.m.