By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The wins just
keep on coming for Dexter Dunn.
The 31-year-old New Zealand native,
who was named the United States Harness Writers Association’s Driver of the
Year for a second straight time last week, registered four winners on the
Friday night card at The Meadowlands.
Before the start of the program, Dunn
was awarded The Big M’s Driver of the Week after winning seven times last weekend
(Jan. 15-16), and now sits atop the standings at the mile oval with 19
victories in the early stages of the Winter-Spring-Championship Meeting.
Dunn’s backers got to cash in some
nice prices, as after winning with 1-5 public choice Billion Dollar Day ($2.60
to win in race one), the track’s leading driver (with 131 wins) during 2020
scored with Smooth Aceleration ($11.40 in the fifth) and Tango Dancer N ($12.40
in the featured 10th) before completing his grand slam with
Alexander Hanover ($14.40 in the 13th).
Another Down Under standout,
Australia native Andy McCarthy, had a big night as well, scoring three times
during the night. His fans were smiling after those races as McCarthy’s winners
were sent to the gate at odds of 7-2, 7-1 and 10-1.
PICK-6 CARRYOVER: With a sequence that began with a
10-1 chance and a 27-1 long shot, no one hit the 20-cent Pick-6, creating a
carryover for Saturday night’s program of $7,293.
Those who had five winners cashed in
for $347.34. Free past performances for the entire Saturday card are available
by going to playmeadowlands.com.
HIGHS AND LOWS: With three odds-on choices scoring
during the sequence, the 20-cent Pick-5 returned $75.90.
In sharp contrast, the Early 50-cent
Pick-4 saw no winning favorites and a healthy payout of $8,987.35.
A LITTLE MORE: Simon Allard drove two winners on the
program while Kelvin Harrison registered a training double. … Play in the two
Pick-4s was predictably vigorous, as the two pools combined to see over
$160,000 in action. … All-source wagering totaled $2,806,228, the third
consecutive Friday where at least $2.8 million was pushed through the windows.
… Racing resumes Saturday at 6 p.m.
