Chin Chin Hall has been going well for almost four months now, and the five-year-old gelded son of Cash Hall-Canland Hall brought his ‘A’ game once again Friday night (Dec. 17) in the featured $42,000 Preferred Handicap for trotters at The Meadowlands, registering his fifth win in his last 11 starts while facing some of the best trotters in the game, both overnight and stakes caliber.

Some of the winners in the six races he has lost during the last third of 2021 include Forbidden Trade, When Dovescry and Ecurie D DK. Chin Chin Hall held his own every time except once, when he left from the second tier. This year at The Big M, he’s won eight of 21 outings.

“He’s been racing great week in and week out,” said Dexter Dunn, who drove the Nifty Norman trainee for a second straight start. “He really tied me up tonight. I just had to sit there and let him do the work.”

Chin Chin Hall backed off to fifth early after four horses were away from the gate quickly in the seven-horse field. JL Cruze made the lead at the quarter in :27.1 but yielded the point to even-money favourite Dunbar Hall – who was looking for his fourth win in his last five starts – in a leisurely half of :56.1.

Dunn, recently named the United States Harness Writers Association’s Driver of the Year for a third consecutive season, moved ‘Chin Chin’ out of the five-hole just after the half and made his way toward the leaders.

“We got away fifth, which was handy enough,” said Dunn.

Dunbar Hall still had the lead at three-quarters (1:24.1) but that edge was tenuous given how well Chin Chin Hall was gobbling up ground while in high gear travelling first-over. Dunbar Hall won a week ago on the front end but couldn’t hack it on the lead for a second straight week, running out of steam through the lane.

Chin Chin Hall surged to command mid-stretch and went on to an easy one-length score in 1:52. Get Legs finished second with JL Cruze third.

Owned by Oldford Racing LLC and David McDuffee, Chin Chin Hall returned $4.60 to his backers as the 6-5 second choice and upped his lifetime stats to 15 wins from 51 starts, good for earnings of $834,463.

Talk about a horse who has the right connections. He was driven by the Driver of the Year, trained by the Trainer of the Year and owned by the Owner of the Year (McDuffee).

“It’s awesome really,” said Dunn of the trophy-winning natural hat trick. “I’m pretty lucky really, driving for great owners and trainers. It makes my job easy.”

A LITTLE MORE: A modest carryover of just over $7,600 led to a total pool of $55,626 in the 20-cent Pick-6, and despite a sequence where the two ‘longshots’ went off at 7-2 and 3-1, respectively, those who correctly selected all six winners cashed in for $813.10. … Dunn paced the driver’s colony with four victories. … Corey Callahan had a driving triple. … All-source handle totalled $2,408,689. … Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m. with the next-to-last live race card of the year. The final live program of 2021 takes place on Friday, Dec. 31. … The Meadowlands has no racing on December 24 and 25.

(With files from The Meadowlands)