Double millionaire pacer and former O'Brien Award finalist All Bets Off returned to work and won his 2017 qualifying debut on Friday evening (February 24) at The Meadowlands.
All Bets Off was reunited with Matt Kakaley, who has been his regular driver and partner in past victories in the Prix d'Ete and Confederation Cup.
The six-year-old pacer followed in third-place for most of the qualifying mile and had the jump start on the quick-closing Odds On Equuleus to win by a neck in 1:53 flat. His final quarter was clocked in 27 seconds. Doo Wop Hanover finished one and a half lengths behind in third after leading through fractions of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:25.1.
A career winner of 22 races and $2,276,738, All Bets Off is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Frank Baldachino, and The Panhellenic Stable Corp.
The connections of All Bets Off had secured a stud deal in Ohio, but following his final victory of 2016 in the $100,000 Potomac Pace in a 1:48.2 track record-equalling time at Rosecroft Raceway they ultimately decided to bring him back to the races this year in hopes that he will become the richest son of Bettors Delight.
The Burke-trained trotters Gural Hanover (1:58) and millionaire DWs NY Yank (1:57.3) also won their first qualifiers since they last raced in the summer of 2016.
Also during the qualifying session, the stakes-placed Dr J Hanover won his four-year-old debut in 1:56 for trainer Tony Alagna.