By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – When it comes
to the Meadowlands, Muscle Diamond is very much a horse for the course.
The 6-year-old son of Muscle
Hill-Windylane Hanover thrashed five overmatched opponents in the Friday night
feature at the mile oval, the $20,000 Preferred Handicap for trotters.
Winning driver Andy McCarthy did not
rush the 1-9 favorite to the top, opting instead to make his way steadily to
the lead while racing on the outside at the three-eighths before hitting the
half in :55.4. A sleepy :29.1 fraction followed as Pappy Go Go – seeking his
third straight win – put up a fight from first over, but the Brett
Bittle-trained Muscle Diamond rebuffed that challenge before hitting the wire
1¾ lengths in front of a fast-closing Tyson. Pappy Go Go held on for third.
Muscle Diamond, who set his
lifetime-best of 1:50.1 at the Big M in late June before taking the Vincennes
on Hambletonian Day in 1:51, completed his mile Friday in 1:52.2 to stay
perfect in three Meadowlands starts this year. He paid $2.20 to his backers in
winning for the 17th time in 51 lifetime starts while upping his
earnings to $755,199 for owners C. Keller III, C. Keller IV, E. Bittle and B.
Bittle.
A LITTLE MORE: McCarthy had the hot hand all night,
taking four races on the card. … One lucky simulcast player at Pompano Park had
a huge night. He or she was the only player to have all 10 winners in the
20-Cent Survivor Pick-10 and walked away with $10,221. … Six favorites hit the
winner’s circle on the 10-race card, and in two of the races where the public
choice lost, the winner’s odds were 6-5 (race four) and 2-1 (race eight). …
All-source handle on the program totaled $1,723,596. … Racing resumes Saturday
at 7:15 p.m. Four finals of the Kindergarten Classic for 2-year-olds sit atop
the marquee, with purses that total almost $900,000.
