By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Shvaiko needed
a little bit of luck to take the $23,000 feature at The Meadowlands Saturday
night, and once he got it, he defeated a talented field in a non-winners of
$20,000 pace in a lifetime-best 1:49.1.
On a night that was kind to horses
racing on or near the lead, driver Todd McCarthy – who guided four winners on
the evening – left the gate like a blur with the 5-year-old gelded son of Art
Major-Grace K and grabbed the point around the first turn before yielding to a
headstrong Ana Afreet N (who hit the quarter in :27) who then yielded to I’m A
Big Deal before the half (:55.2).
“I was happy to get away third,” said
McCarthy. “He leaves like a Ferrari.”
I’m A Big Deal still had the lead at
three-quarters (1:22.2) but had been hounded down the backside by Fabrizio N,
who pressed the leader from the half to the far turn. McCarthy and Shvaiko were
still sitting third at the rail when they turned for home, but a good decision
and some good fortune would then play a big part in the outcome.
When Ana Afreet N rallied along the
inside to come after I’m A Big Deal, who was bearing out while tiring, Shvaiko
then found just enough room to Ana Afreet N’s inside to get the win by a neck
in a thrilling finish. Ana Afreet N finished second with I’m A Big Deal third.
“(In the stretch) a couple of the
ones on the outside were getting tired,” said McCarthy. “It was a matter of
which way was I going to go. We got lucky and never had to leave the rail.”
Shvaiko, who paid $6.20 as the 2-1
favorite in the field of nine, recorded his 13th career win from 33
starts. The Scott Betts trainee has now earned $113,967 for owners T. Betts,
Tar Heel Racing, S. Moss and Lone Wolf Stable.
THAT’S A HALF-DOZEN, COUSIN: Wagering surpassed the $3-million
plateau for a third straight program – and sixth over the last 11 – as
all-source action on the 13-race card totaled $3,243,536. Wagering for the
weekend was just over $6.3 million.
IT WAS A GOOD RUN: For the first time this year, driver
Yannick Gingras failed to win a race on a Meadowlands program. He had recorded
at least one victory on the first 22 cards of 2022.
A LITTLE MORE: Dexter Dunn stayed hot by guiding
three horses to victory lane. … Despite favorites winning each of the last four
races, the 20-cent Pick-6 returned $2,086.30. … Both 50-cent Pick-4s took in
just over $95,000 in action, with payoffs that were opposites to say the least.
The Early P4 returned $1,658.35 while the Late P4 came back $33.90. … Racing
resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m.
