By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The final
quarter was eventful, but that didn’t stop Opulent Yankee from winning the
Friday night feature at the Meadowlands.
The 7-year-old gelded son of Muscles
Yankee, who won the Preferred Handicap on March 9, made it two straight
spotlighted Big M events, taking the $15,000 high-class conditioned trotting
event in 1:54.
Opulent Yankee, coupled in the
wagering with Double L Lindy, was sent to the gate as the 1-5 public choice and
not surprisingly made his way to the top in :27.4. After backing down the half
to :57.1, Buff popped out of the four hole to go after the leader, towing Di
Oggi and Iron Mine Johnny with him as Freehold shipper Dekeyser sat the pocket.
During the final quarter of a mile is
when the judges earned their pay.
Coming out of the far turn, the
leader raced inside of a pylon, but stayed on course from there. Dekeyser was
erratic through the stretch as driver Brett Miller was desperate for racing
room in the two hole. Inside the eighth pole, Dekeyser went inside three
pylons, and after he finished second, the judges took a long look at the
stretch run.
They determined that there was no
need to penalize Opulent Yankee, who did not gain an unfair advantage, but
Dekeyser was disqualified and placed last in the seven-horse field for racing
inside “two or more consecutive pylons” as the rules state. The official order
of finish was Opulent Yankee, Di Oggi and Iron Mine Johnny.
Opulent Yankee hit the wire 1½
lengths to the good and paid $2.40 to win for “Team Orange Crush”, trainer
Julie and driver Andy Miller. He’s now taken four of five outings this year for
Jeff Gural’s Little E LLC, Arthur Geiger and David Stolz.
A LITTLE MORE: Wagering was vigorous throughout the
card, as a total of $2,442,065 was bet on the 11-race program, an average of
$222,005 per race. … The Pick-5 took in $57,507 in wagers, the second biggest
non-carryover pot during the month of March. … The track’s signature Pick-4 was
popular as usual, as total play was a month-best $94,375. … Andy Miller, Brett
Miller, Marcus Miller and Jim Marohn Jr. all recorded driving doubles. … The
Late 20-Cent Jackpot Super High Five once again failed to result in a
single-ticket winner, bloating the carryover to $152,982. … Racing resumes
Saturday at 7:15 p.m. Western Joe is the early 8-5 choice to win his fifth
Preferred Handicap for pacers in seven tries this year.
