By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media
Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Maybe the trip
didn’t go exactly as driver Yannick Gingras had hoped, but he made it work
nonetheless in the Saturday night feature at the Meadowlands, scoring with I’m
Some Graduate in a $31,250 high-end conditioned pace.
The 7-year-old gelded son of
Somebeachsomewhere-Western Graduate, dismissed by the bettors at odds of 14-1,
was away in good order, sitting second to the quarter behind 9-5 second choice
McThriller in :27.2.
Brushing to the top before the half
was Eddard Hanover, pushing I’m Some Graduate back into the three-hole, and as
the train developed on the rim with Stonedust providing a live tow for 8-5
favorite Americanprimetime, I’m Some Graduate was in a tough spot approaching
the head of the stretch.
Off the far turn, Gingras guided I’m
Some Graduate into the three-path as Eddard Hanover and Stonedust weakened.
Americanprimetime tipped off his cover and grabbed the lead with an eighth of a
mile to go and looked like the winner, but I’m Some Graduate swung to that
one’s outside late and with a final burst of speed, nailed the favorite by a
head in 1:50.3 on a 28-degree night with a track variant of -1. Decision Day
rallied to grab third.
I’m Some Graduate returned a healthy
$31.40 to his backers as the fifth choice in the seven-horse field, but clearly
belonged if you take Gingras’ word for it. “I believe he won the last time he
raced [at the Meadowlands] at a higher class.” Gingras was right, of course, as
I’m Some Graduate won the Preferred for pacers in his last Big M appearance in
December of 2018.
“They race him at Yonkers most of the
time but he loves this track,” said Gingras. “He’s just a nice horse.”
The Ron Burke trainee, who is owned
by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and
Lawrence Karr, has now won 21-of-98 lifetime starts, good for earnings of
$453,383.
A LITTLE MORE: It only took two weeks to create some
20-cent Pick-6 buzz. The new wager was not hit, creating a carryover of $14,376
heading into the next race card. Those who had five out of six cashed in for
$165.24. … Driver Andy Miller had a natural hat trick, winning the sixth,
seventh and eighth races. Corey Callahan also recorded three wins on the card.
… The remarkable Preppy Art won the 13th and final race of the
night, giving him 10 wins in his last 15 starts after registering zero
victories in his previous 59 tries. He was claimed out of the race for $10,000
by trainer Nick Surick. … All-source wagering on the 13-race program totaled
$2,665,111, marking the sixth time in the last seven cards that wagering
exceeded $2.5 million. … Racing resumes Friday at 6:55 p.m.
