Manzi Scores Oil Burner Double

Published: December 13, 2008 10:08 pm EST

Driver Cat Manzi scored back-to-back wins with Bettor Sweet and Camshaft Hanover in the second round of the Oil Burner Series Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Starting from the outside post, Manzi and Bettor Sweet sat third-over and soared home to edge out Valentower in 1:50.4. Boodle Boy held third after cutting the mile. Sent off the 6-5 favorite, Bettor Sweet paid $4.20 to win the sixth race.

"I was very happy with him tonight," Cat Manzi said. "It worked out just perfectly. I wanted to take him a little off the pace today and I was able to and it worked out great. Last week, I overdid it a little bit, and I think it showed at the end of the race. I'm looking forward to next week. He should be just fine."

Trainer Joe Poliseno purchased Bettor Sweet for $175,000 for owner John Cancelliere of Clark, New Jersey in September. The three-year-old pacer had been racing in the barn of Joe Caraluzzi, Poliseno's neighbor at Gaitway Farm in Englishtown. Bettor Sweet counts a 32-1 upset in the $390,000 Progress Pace at Dover among his eights wins in 16 starts this season. After a victory in the first round of the series, the son of Bettors Delight-Sweet Future looms as one of the favorites in the $63,500 Oil Burner Final to be raced Dec. 20.

"We talked about taking him off the pace a little today with the far outside post and Cat did a great job," Poliseno noted. "I think he paced the last quarter in :26 and change, so that's really good. I was very happy with him tonight. He's had two big races here, but he should be okay for next week."

In the second Oil Burner division, Manzi and Camshaft Hanover rallied from sixth at the top of the stretch to post a 3/4-length victory over Varese Hanover in 1:52.3. It was a length back to the pocket sitter Elusive Reward in third. Auctioneer, the 6-5 favorite, led the field at every call before fading to fourth.

Ian Smith's Camshaft Hanover improved his record to seven wins in 34 starts this year. David Pinkney Jr. trains the son of Artiscape-Cams Little Star.

Rocknroll Band held off Major General to win the final Oil Burner division, race eight, in 1:51.4. David Miller steered the colt to his seventh win this season for trainer Ken Rucker and the Engel Stable of Buffalo Grove, Illinois. The Awful Truth made a three-wide move on the final turn and rallied for third.

The $63,500 Oil Burner shares the spotlight with the $51,000 Snow Angel for sophomore filly pacers next Saturday at the Meadowlands. Post time is 7 p.m.

To view Saturday's results, click here.

(NJSEA)

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