By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Andy Miller
kept on rolling, Bill Mann fans cashed some big tickets and Dexter Dunn
continued to prove he can drive on the big stage Thursday night at the
Meadowlands.
Miller, fresh off being named the
track’s Driver of the Week after having won five races over the course of last
week’s (Dec. 13-14) pair of racing programs, swept the Early Daily Double.
Sergeant Seelster was a catch drive
for Andy as David Miller did not drive on the card, and Andy moved the Mark
Silva trainee to the top at the half and reported home a winner in 1:56 at odds
of 5-1. Andy then scored on the front end with even-money favorite Ideal
Romance – who won for the fifth time in six starts – to complete the double,
which returned $26.20.
But it was Bill Mann who gave his
fans’ Christmas bankrolls a big boost.
Mann scored in the fourth race with
the longest-priced winner of the night – 13-1 chance Fox Valley Bailey – and
returned $29.60, taking the middle leg of the 50-Cent Pick-5, which came back
$466.95.
‘Bill the Mann’ was back at it again
in the ninth, scoring with the evening’s second longest-priced winner, Our Els
Dream N, who paid $18.00. For those savvy enough to make a $20 win bet on
Mann’s only two drives of the night, they showed a profit of $436.
Not to be out-Dunn was New Zealand
native Dexter, who entered the night tied for fourth in the Big M driver
standings. Dunn scored in the sixth race with 5-1 shot Redonkulous before
getting up on the wire in a thrilling stretch duel in the 10th and
final, guiding 5-2 second choice Smooth Mocha past 8-5 favorite Spanish Art by
an eyelash.
A LITTLE MORE: One sharp player was the only bettor
to last six legs in the 20-Cent Survivor Pick-10 and walked away with $10,481.
… Mann and Vincent Fusco Jr. each trained a pair of winners on the program. …
All-source wagering on the card totaled $1,152,114. … Racing resumes Friday at
7:15 p.m. with an ultra-competitive 14-race program.
