By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Covered Bridge
has been so good early on in his 4-year-old campaign, he’s even surprised his
trainer, Ron Burke.
“He has been even better than we had
hoped,” said Burke of the gelded son of American Ideal-Stonebridge Kisses, who
was a dominant winner of the Saturday night feature at the Meadowlands, a
$27,500 high-end conditioned pace.
“We couldn’t be happier with him,”
said winning driver Yannick Gingras. “He’s getting stronger every week.”
A scary thought for all the other 4-year-olds
who will take him on this season.
Covered Bridge remained unbeaten in
three starts this year – all at the Meadowlands – facing his toughest test of
the season. He was in against Sintra, the “Terror from Toronto” who had won all
four of his starts this season facing the best on the grounds at Woodbine
Mohawk Park, and the super-formful Bell I No, who had finished second or better
in seven straight Big M outings.
Unlike a week ago, Gingras opted to
put Covered Bridge on the engine, making a second move to the top after
yielding briefly to Sintra just after the quarter.
Given the caliber of the combatants,
the half was reached in a lazy :56.1, and when one considers that Covered
Bridge had won his first two outings of 2020 in 1:48.3 and 1:49.2, it was going
to take a lot to catch him.
As it turned out, it could not be
done.
After three-quarters was clocked in
1:24, Covered Bridge had a :26.3 kicker in his tank to easily beat Sintra, who
is presumably on his way to Yonkers next week for the Borgata Series, by 1½
lengths in 1:50.3. Bell I No finished third.
“Mostly 4-year-old races,” said Burke
when asked what the plan is for Covered Bridge. “But we will be re-evaluate
soon.”
Is he the type of horse you’d put
into the Graduate, which gets underway May 2 at the Meadowlands? “I think for
sure.”
Covered Bridge, who is owned by Burke
Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Mortgage
Boys Stable, returned $3.00 to his backers as the 1-2 favorite and has now won
10-of-36 lifetime starts, good for earnings of $273,837.
BOMBS AWAY! Pat Berry, aka “The Blue Berry
Bomber”, put a big smile on his fans’ faces when he guided 47-1 shot Barefoot
Bluejeans to victory lane in the 12th race. The win price of $96.40
was the largest of 2020 at the Big M.
Apparently unsatisfied with one huge
longshot, Berry came right back in the 13th race and scored with
27-1 chance Jumping Jake, giving the 44-year-old pilot a sweep of the Late
Double that paid $2,700.40. Berry scored earlier on the card with an 11-1 shot
and his one Friday winner went off at 10-1.
With Berry’s bombs hitting their
targets in the final two races, the Late Pick-4 returned $18,446.90 after
driver Andy Miller and trainer Nick Surick teamed up to take legs one and two
at odds of 5-1.
A LITTLE MORE: Betting surpassed the $2.5-million
plateau for the 12th time in the last 13 race cards, as a total of
$2,845,232 was pushed through the windows on the 13 races. … Berry, Gingras and
Andy McCarthy had driving triples on the program. After scoring in both
co-features Friday, McCarthy finished the weekend with five winner’s circle trips.
… Racing resumes Friday at 6:55 p.m.
