By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – In the unlikely
event you weren’t sure who the best trotter on the grounds at the Meadowlands
was before Saturday night’s feature, there was positively no doubt after.
Despite taking two weeks off, the
red-hot Pappy Go Go upped his winning streak to three after taking the $37,500
Preferred in 1:52.2 over a track rated ‘good’ with a -1 variant, missing his
lifetime best by just two-fifths of a second.
The Andrew Harris trainee never had
an anxious moment after being sent to the gate as the 8-5 favorite in the
talented field of seven as driver Corey Callahan – who won five races on
Friday’s card – hit the gas pedal early with the 6-year-old gelded son of Tad
The Stud-Paging Willy from post seven and made the front while parked at the
quarter after a headstrong Misslarose yielded the top in :27.2.
Pappy Go Go trotted easily through
the second fraction while unpressured in :27.3 as Misslarose sat the pocket.
Morairtime, who was so good winning eight days ago after going a first-over
trip, was in gear making up ground while racing on the rim uncovered.
After three-quarters was reached in
1:23.4, Pappy Go Go accelerated, opening up a 3-length edge at the head of the
stretch on the way to an easy 3½-length score. Morairtime was second with
Misslarose third.
“I wasn’t worried about the layoff at
all,” said Harris. “He’d been prepping every week in between. They just didn’t
have a Preferred for him, so hopefully, horses start entering so I can race him
a little more.”
Is Pappy Go Go the type of horse who
can go with the game’s best? “I don’t have any big dreams for him,” said
Harris. “He’s a nice open horse, but realistically, I can’t spend money staking
him to go against the likes of Manchego and Atlanta. So, we’ll race in the
Preferred and try to keep him happy and fresh and being the big fish in the
pond until the floods come later.”
Pappy Go Go returned $5.40 to his
fans and has now won 32 of 83 career outings, good for earnings of $249,547 for
owners Michael Goldberg Racing.
ANOTHER GIANT MILE: The Robert Cleary-trained Harambe Deo
went parked for a little more than the final half-mile and had no trouble
blowing away his foes in the pacing feature, a high-end conditioned event with
a $31,250 purse. The 5-year-old gelded son of Woodstock-Tea Time, who was the
8-5 favorite, stopped the clock in 1:50.4 with Tyler Buter in the bike to win
for the third time in his last five starts. McThriller finished second, 1¼
lengths behind.
A LITTLE MORE: Tim Tetrick had the hot hand, leading
the driver colony with four winners. Buter, Drew Monti and Vinny Ginsburg had
two apiece. … The 20-cent Survivor Pick-10 failed to pay at least $3,000 for an
eighth straight time, but it came close, as three players lasted eight legs and
cashed in for $2,611.98. … The 20-cent Can-Am Pick-4 came back $175.32, the key
to cashing being Leg One, when Heza Thrill N won at Woodbine Mohawk Park at
odds of 7-1. … All-source handle totaled $2,667,043. … Racing resumes Friday at
7:15 p.m.
