By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Wagering
reached the magic $3-million mark for the first time at the meeting and the
team of trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras combined to win an
incredible six races on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.
Twice during the course of the
13-race program, which saw all-source play total $3,147,209, single-race total
wagering was in excess of $300,000. The Big M’s signature 50-Cent Pick-4 saw
its biggest pool of the year as $110,700 was pushed through the windows for the
wager which spans races eight through 11. The sequence saw Burke and Gingras
win twice, but when the dust cleared, no winning favorites scored leading to a
payoff of $1,083.80.
It was almost inconceivable that
Burke and Gingras would top their five-win Friday night, but they did just
that, scoring a half-dozen times on the Saturday program, good for a total of
11 victories over the course of the 26-race, two-card race week. Gingras won
twice without Burke on Friday to tally a total of 13 times over the two cards.
Saturday’s edition of “Yannick and
Ronnie’s Awesome Night at the Races” started with a sweep of the Early Daily
Double, as Try Try Again – making his first start for the Burke Brigade –
scored from post nine in 1:55.1 in a non-winners of $5,000 trot as the 2-5
favorite. Approximately 20 minutes later, K-Lees Shakenbake won a $15,000 up to
$20,000 claiming handicap pace in 1:51.3 as the 4-5 public choice, capping the
$6.20 DD.
Race six saw the dynamic duo win for
the third time on the card with even-money choice Windsong Jack in 1:51.2 in a
non-winners of $8,500 pace before the potent pair thrilled their backers with a
pair of prices.
Fireball took the ninth race
non-winners of $8,500 pace in 1:52.2 at odds of 9-2 before 3-1 chance Ginger
Tree Marty won race 10, a non-winners of $5,000 pace, in 1:52 to complete a
Daily Double that returned $72.40.
Larry Karr completed the sextet in
race 12 as the 2-5 choice in a non-winners of four pace. The 4-year-old gelding
went a tough uncovered trip to win for the fourth time in five starts.
A LITTLE MORE: One simulcast player wagering into
the Twin Spires hub was the only bettor to last eight legs in the 20-Cent
Survivor Pick-10 and cashed in for $11,542.44. … Racing resumes Friday at 7:15
p.m.
