By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Southwind
Chrome needed every inch of the stretch to take the Friday night feature at the
Meadowlands, which made one simulcast player in Canada very happy, as he or she
walked away with the only winning 20-cent Pick-6 ticket, which was worth
$39,243.
The Jeff Cullipher-trained Southwind
Chrome, no stranger to the Meadowlands winner’s circle having won two straight
at the mile track in December, was the figure horse in the Preferred for
trotters off a superb second-place finish to Manchego one week ago, when the
super mare went the fastest trotting mile of the year in the sport of 1:50.3.
Despite that, it was the Ron
Burke-schooled Mission Accepted who was sent to the gate as the even-money
public choice, and driver Yannick Gingras had that one on the lead at the half
in :54.3. At that point, Scott Zeron moved Southwind Chrome out of the six-hole
and started to make his way toward the leader.
“It looked in the program like all of
the inside horses would be leaving the gate,” said Zeron. “So I opted to race
from off the pace. First up from sixth is no easy trip but he really toughed it
out.”
Zeron and ‘Chrome’ were just a
length-and-a-quarter behind the leader at three-quarters after making steady
progress around the far turn, setting the stage for a cutthroat stretch duel.
Through the lane, it looked like
Southwind Chrome poked a head in front at the eighth pole before Mission
Accepted came back determinedly to get a slight edge with a sixteenth to go
only to have Southwind Chrome have one final surge right before the wire to
prevail by a nose in 1:51.
“That would be a good explanation [of
what happened through the stretch],” said Zeron. “He really battled. Jeff
[Cullipher] is aiming him for the [July 4] Cutler. His form is impeccable right
now.”
A 5-year-old son of Chapter
Seven-Counter Pointe, Southwind Chrome returned $4.60 as the 6-5 second choice
for owners Pollack Racing and Jeff Cullipher. He now has 12 wins from 35
lifetime starts and earnings of $218,960.
The giant Pick-6 payout started from
a modest $6,843 carryover and was keyed in the first leg by a longshot as the
Eric Abbatiello-trained and driven Broadway Bruiser left the gate quickly in
the fourth race, worked out a pocket trip and then charged through the inside
late to record a 40-1 upset. The middle four legs of the wager were won by
‘haveable’ horses, whose odds were 5-1, 2-1, 2-1 and 1-2, respectively.
A LITTLE MORE: A formful night of racing saw seven
favorites click on the 13-race program. Overall, 10 races were won by horses
whose odds were 2-1 or less. … Ten different drivers visited the winner’s
circle with Gingras leading the way with three victories while Tim Tetrick
scored twice. … Wagering at the Big M remained remarkably consistent as a total
of $2,650,358 was pushed through the windows, upping the streak of programs
with wagering of at least $2.5 million to 10. … Racing resumes Saturday at 7:15
p.m.
