Saturday night at the Meadowlands served as the perfect prelude to the start of next week’s “Championship Meet” as two series finals and two series opening legs were contested on the 13-race program. In the $54,500 Walner Series final for three-year-old colts and geldings on the trot, Goes Down Smooth was an opportunistic winner in 1:54 for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Ron Burke.

Final Claim, also from the Burke barn, was the 2-5 favourite looking to stay perfect in four seasonal starts. He turned for home with the lead but went off stride in mid-stretch, allowing Goes Down Smooth to inherit the top. He hit the wire a neck in front of Warrior One while Cheap Tricks took third.

Goes Down Smooth, a son of Muscle Hill-Peach Martini, returned $8.40 to win as the second choice in the wagering.

Prince Of Tides got a great steer from Andy Miller and won the $58,500 Wiggle It Jiggleit Series final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings in 1:49.4.

Dealers Table, the 7-5 favourite who was impossible to rate in defeat last week, again was too hot on the front and paced quick fractions leading to a 1:21.1 third quarter. Andy Miller then vacated the pocket—a position he earned by leaving the gate at the start from post eight—and rolled past the leader before holding off a determined Stone Hanover, who missed by a nose after closing well late. World On Edge was third.

Prince Of Tides, a gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere-Tug River Princess who is trained by Ross Croghan, returned $15.80 as the third choice on the tote board.

Pinkman ($5.20 to win as the favourite), the 2015 Hambletonian champion and lifetime earner of better than $2.7 million, was victorious in the first leg of the Mr Muscleman for open trotters in 1:52.4 while Highalator ($5.40 as the public choice) scored in the opening leg of the Golden Receiver for open pacers, stopping the clock in 2:03.4 for the added distance of a mile and an eighth. Highalator has won three of four starts at the Big M this year.

A LITTLE MORE: All-source handle pushed past the magic $3-million mark for the eighth time in 2019, as $3,015,228 was put in play by the Big M faithful.

Racing resumes Friday, May 3 at 7:15 p.m.

(with files from Meadowlands Racetrack)