By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Heee’s baaack!
After an incredibly uncharacteristic
sixth-place finish a week ago in a race that saw him back up on the far turn
while going after the leader, Highalator, the best overnight horse currently in
training at The Meadowlands, returned to his outstanding self with another
eye-popping performance in the track’s weekly pacing feature Saturday night.
Having been assigned post position
nine in the nine-horse field for non-winners of $20,000 in their last five
starts on the pace, driver Ricky Still did what he usually does with
Highalator, leave the gate hard. Stacked up five-wide into the first turn, the
6-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere-Higher And Higher kept on digging on the
outside as early leader U S Captain yielded to Ana Afreet N, who then yielded
to Highalator, who grabbed the top while parked at the half in a sizzling :53.
Despite having won three in a row
before last week’s loss, Highalator was sent to the gate as the 3-1 second
choice. He was sailing along on the point as 7-5 favorite Ana Afreet N, who was
looking for his third straight score, remained in the pocket as three-quarters
was hit in 1:21.
Ana Afreet N vacated the pocket
inside the eighth pole, and while he relentlessly inched closer, he could not
pass Highalator, who held on by a pulse-pounding nose in 1:49.3. Angers Bayama
finished third.
Highalator, who returned $8.80 to
win, has now won 39-of-84 career starts (seven-for-15 in 2020), good for
earnings of $625,864 for owners Jenny Bier (who is also his trainer), Joann
Dombeck and Midsize Construction.
A LITTLE MORE: A two-day carryover in the 20-cent
Pick-6 led to a total pool of $41,095, and those with winning tickets had big
smiles on their faces. After a sequence that saw winners’ odds of 5-1, 4-5,
7-1, 3-1, 2-1 and 6-1, the payout was a handsome $9,255. … Jason Lynch recorded
his first-ever win at The Big M guiding Edge Of Eternity to a wire-to-wire
score in the third race in 1:51.4. He also trains the 4-year-old, whose recent
stops include Harrington Raceway, Ocean Downs and Harrah’s Philadelphia. … Todd
McCarthy continued to do good things, as the recent Australian import drove
three winners on the card. … All-source wagering totaled $2,077,815. … Racing
resumes Friday at 7:15 p.m.
