By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Longtime fan
favorite Western Joe worked his way into a live flow and got up after a
thrilling stretch duel with Ana Afreet N to win the Saturday night feature at
The Meadowlands, the $28,000 Preferred Handicap for pacers.
It was anything but easy for the
6-year-old gelded son of Western Ideal-Ante Fay, who departed from post 10 in a
strong field for trainer Chris Choate. Filibuster Hanover, with his gaudy
lifetime bankroll of $1.8 million, was sent to the gate as the 6-5 public
choice and after driver Yannick Gingras asked for a quick burst of speed,
cleared the top before the half, which was timed in :54.1.
Western Joe, winless in his last five
Meadowlands starts, was now working his way into the outer flow, following
fourth-over right behind the red-hot Ana Afreet N, who was searching for his
fourth win in five starts.
At the head of the stretch, the field
bunched up as Filibuster Hanover weakened. Ana Afreet A and Western Joe battled
throughout the final eighth of a mile on the far outside, and at the wire, it
was Western Joe, the winner of the 2018 Sam McKee Memorial, scoring his 28th
win from 91 lifetime starts by a nose. The time for the mile was 1:49.4, and
after being dismissed at odds of 10-1, ‘Joe’ paid $22.60 to win. Wes Delight
finished third. Filibuster Hanover was eighth.
Western Joe, who now sports career
earnings of $687,208 for owners Anthony Ruggeri and Richard Tosies, is heading
for the Nov. 21 TVG Open Pace at The Big M.
BIG NIGHT AT THE WINDOWS: Betting was solid throughout the
13-race program, as a Fall Meet high of $2,823,647 was pushed through the
windows.
The 20-cent Pick-6, with a $28,142
carryover serving as the catalyst, saw a total pool of $104,695. Those with
winning tickets cashed in for $5,642.38 after seeing a sequence where the
winner’s odds were 4-5, 5-1, 10-1, 6-5, 5-2 and 5-1.
Four races on the card saw action
that exceeded $250,000, while betting was vigorous on the two Pick-4s, as the
Early Pick took in $75,400 while the Late Pick saw $70,574 in action.
FINAL FOUR PREPS: Always A Miki (Always B Miki-Beach
Gal) readied himself for next week’s Governor’s Cup by taking a 2-year-old colt
and gelding pace in 1:52.3 for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Nancy Takter as
the 6-5 favorite, ending a personal seven-race losing streak in winning for
fourth time from 12 starts.
Three Diamonds hopeful Notorious Pink
sat a pocket trip behind JK Alwaysbalady before getting up at the wire in 1:53
in a 2-year-old filly pace as the 8-5 public choice. Driven by Tim Tetrick and
trained by Tony Alagna, the daughter of Captaintreacherous-She’s A Hot Mess
upped her lifetime stats to five wins in 12 tries.
A LITTLE MORE: The final stakes-laden card of the
year takes place Saturday, Nov. 21 when $2.8 million in purses will be up for
grabs on Fall Final Four/TVG Finals Night. … Todd McCarthy, Andy McCarthy, Dunn
and George Napolitano Jr. accounted for eight of the winners on the card by
winning two races apiece. … Racing resumes Friday at 7:15 p.m.
