By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – As the
leading driver at the Meadowlands, Yannick Gingras has had his share of big
nights at the mile oval, and Saturday at the Big M was just another of many for
the 39-year-old, who scored four times on the 13-race program, among them the
featured conditioned pace.
Seeing Eye Single, a 4-year-old
gelded son of Dragon Again-Shabalabadingdong, overcame post 10 and lowered his
previous lifetime best by one-and-one-fifth seconds after stopping the clock in
1:49.3 in the event for non-winners of $17,500 in their last five starts.
Gingras had Seeing Eye Single on the
go from the start, following Captain Deo (who led at the quarter in :27) before
clearing the lead just after the first split.
A rated second fraction of :28.2
would follow before pressure would come from Stonedust, who was inching his way
closer to the leader while first-over at three-quarters. Seeing Eye Single
shrugged off that challenger to get some separation at the head of the stretch
before holding sway to the wire, finishing a length in front of the
pocket-sitting Captain Deo. Rough Odds was third with Penzance Hanover fourth.
K Ryan Bluechip, the 4-5 favorite, was in a fourth-over flow before closing
well to be a non-threatening fifth.
Seeing Eye Single returned $6.00 as
the second choice in the wagering, and in the process upped his resume to 11
wins from 28 lifetime starts, good for earnings of $359,926 for owners Burke
Racing, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby, Larry Karr and Weaver Bruscemi.
“He was strong and won fairly
easily,” said Gingras of the Ron Burke trainee who sprinted his final quarter
in :26. “He loves the big track.”
Gingras’ other wins came with McRaven
(first race, $8.20, 1:52.3), All It Takes (third, $6.00, 1:52) and Always A
Diamond (sixth, $8.20, 1:52.1).
BETTING TOPS $3 MILLION: For the seventh time in 2019,
wagering at the Meadowlands exceeded $3 million, as a total of $3,046,148 was
pushed through the windows.
Race eight saw $341,302 in action,
and the ever-popular 50-Cent Pick-4 served as the catalyst with a pool of
$116,859.
A LITTLE MORE: It was huge day for Austin Siegelman.
Monticello Raceway’s leading driver took his act on the road Saturday and piled
up the victories. After winning five times during the day at Freehold,
Siegelman then won three more under the lights at the Big M. … Players who
don’t like chalk are loving life of late at the Meadowlands. Over the last four
programs, favorites have gone nine-for-52, good (or bad, based on your
preference) for a minuscule win percentage of 17. … Racing resumes Friday at
7:15 p.m.
