By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Simon Allard
has taken full advantage of his opportunities at The Meadowlands over the last
two months with many of the track’s regulars out of town racing on the Grand
Circuit, and the Big M’s leading driver at the current Fall Meeting kept doing
what he’s been doing of late by winning four times on the Friday night card.
Allard, currently fifth in the
standings at Pocono Downs, upped his victory total to 24 at the New Jersey mile
oval, with two of his scores coming in the fourth and final leg of the
Kindergarten Classic for 2-year-olds.
The 38-year-old pilot got his night
started with 9-5 second choice Hot As Hill (Muscle Hill-Smarty Pants), who came
back along the rail to win the second race after yielding the front after the
quarter. The Ron Burke trainee stopped the clock in 1:57 in the division for
filly trotters, winning a second straight Kindergarten preliminary and marking herself
as the one to beat in one of four finals (to take place on Nov. 7) which have
purses totaling approximately $800,000.
Cash For Gold gave Allard his second
winner in a low-end conditioned trot in the fourth race as the 5-2 second
choice in 1:54.2 before his second Kindergarten score came in race eight with
9-1 outsider Three Way Split (Somebeachsomewhere-Take Into Account), a filly
who won for the first time in five career starts. The Tony Alagna trainee paced
the mile in 1:53.1.
Allard completed his “grand slam” by
taking the 11th race low-end conditioned filly and mare pace with
2-1 favorite Avaya Hanover in 1:53.3, a lifetime best.
HE’S STILL GOT IT: Nine-year-old gelding JL Cruze, who
five years ago became the first trotter ever to break the 1:50 barrier at The
Meadowlands (1:49.4), was seen in the winner’s circle for the 39th
time from 118 career starts after taking the ninth race mid-range conditioned
overnight feature in 1:52.3.
The Eric Ell trainee, a son of
Crazed-Topcat Hall who was driven by Corey Callahan, returned $3.40 to win as
the heavy favorite.
A LITTLE MORE: Anoka Hanover upped her win streak to
five in a Kindergarten filly trot in 1:56 for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer
Noel Daley. Another good-looking Kindergarten winner was colt pacer Simon Says
Hanover, who scored in 1:52.2. Driven by George Napolitano Jr. and trained by
Alagna, he’s now won four straight. … Napolitano had a big night, visiting the
winner’s circle three times. … The 20-cent Pick-6 went unhit, creating a
carryover of $5,181, leading Big M management to guarantee the next pool at
$15,000. … All-source wagering totaled $1,881,656. … Racing resumes Saturday at
7:15 p.m.
