By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Driver Tim
Tetrick upped his lifetime win total to 10,999, a 50-Cent Pick-5 that wasn't
hit will guarantee a huge next pool and the first sub-1:50 trotter in
Meadowlands history hit the winner’s circle for the first time in 2019 on an
eventful Friday night at the Big M.
After guiding Fox Valley Hermia to
victory in the sixth race for pacing fillies and mares with a TrackMaster
rating of 74.5 or less in 1:52.3, the 37-year-old Tetrick was one winner short
of becoming the 10th driver in harness racing history to reach the
11,000-win plateau. He had six more chances but could not convert over the
remainder of the card. Tetrick will drive next on the Saturday evening program
at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The start of the evening saw a 16-1
shot take the opener and a 22-1 chance take the second race (the CC Big Boy
Sam-Skyway Billy Daily Double returned $950.00), and those winners served as
the catalysts for a 50-Cent Pick-5 that was not hit. Thus, Big M management has
put a $100,000 guarantee on the Saturday night Pick-5 pool, which has a
carryover of $30,928.
The last two times the Pick-5 saw a
carryover, the total pools were $124,773 (on Dec. 7 of last year) and $131,742
(on Feb. 22).
It was four years ago that JL Cruze
became the first trotter to break the 1:50 barrier at the Meadowlands when he
stopped the clock in 1:49.4. The 8-year-old gelded son of Crazed-Topcat Hall
found the winner’s circle for the first time in five starts this year by taking
the fifth race high-end conditioned trot in 1:52.2. Driven by Corey Callahan
for trainer Eric Ell, JL Cruze returned $4.80 to win as the 7-5 public choice
and has now won 30-of-82 lifetime starts and banked $1,354,202.
A LITTLE MORE: The Can-Am Pick-4 took in $50,776 of
action and those who hit it cashed in for $452.78. … Callahan paced the driving
colony with three winners, while Dexter Dunn and Eric Abbatiello had two
victories apiece. … Trainer Ell entered the night 0-for-18 at the meeting, but
scored twice on the card, with Voss Volo in the third and JL Cruze. … The fifth
race 20-Cent Jackpot Super High-Five failed to result in a single-ticket
winner, upping the carryover to $104,051. … All-source handle totaled $2,452,640.
… On Saturday, the Belmont Stakes (post time, 6:37 p.m.) is the featured
simulcast event. Shortly thereafter, live racing resumes at 7:15 p.m.
