The Meadowlands has been around for a half-century, so one would think that just about everything that can happen at a racetrack already has.

But last Saturday, Aug. 23, something special took place when Lauren Tritton became the first female driver in the history of the mile oval to win three races on a Big M card.

“That’s pretty cool,” said Tritton, whose husband Shane trained all of the horses that she piloted to victory. “It’s actually mind-blowing that a woman, in all of those years, hasn’t done that. I’m pretty proud of myself, to be honest.”

To Tritton, having a big night in the sulky isn’t something new. When she and her husband were back home in Australia, they, at one point, had 93 horses in their stable, and Tritton was the driver in the family.

“I drove on the Grand Circuit when I was 17,” said Tritton, 31. “I’ve been doing it since I was young.”

Before coming to the United States just as COVID-19 was shutting down the world, Tritton had much on her resume to brag about. She once won seven races on a card at Australia’s Newcastle Harness Racing Club track and on 28 occasions had won four or more races on a single program.

But that part of her career – despite her sensational Saturday – is behind her now.

“Back home, I just drove,” said Tritton. “I came over here with the mindset that I was going to hang the boots up and focus on training. With two kids [Levi, 8, and Emily, 4], I made a deal that I would be more present for them, that I would pack that career away and focus more on training and I was happy to do that.

“I committed myself fully 100 per cent back home to driving and I’m the sort of person that I have to commit myself to something 100 per cent or else I won’t do it, and I feel like I wouldn’t be able to do my best work here without committing myself, and if I commit myself, I’d be pulling myself away from my family, and my family is very important to me.”

All three of Lauren’s winners went off at odds of 4-1 or greater. 

Rydingtothewire, a four-year-old Bettors Wish-Seashell Hanover gelding, won the first race off a month layoff and qualifying break in a career-best 1:52, paying $15.80 to win.

“I was told he had a really quick turn of foot," said Tritton of the winner owned by Joshua Graber. "We made a couple of equipment changes and I was pretty confident, actually. I thought he was the best bet of the night, but no one asked me about him.”

Springsteen, a 10-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven-American Charm gelding, picked up his first victory of the year in the sixth race, stopping the clock in 1:51.2 and paying $10.40 to win.

 “We call him 'Bruce.' I think he wins once a year just to make himself known in the stable so he can stay for another year," said Tritton, who owns the veteran pacer. "He’s a pet of mine. He shocked us the other night with the way he won. He will not pass a horse on the outside but will go up the inside every week.”

EVM Racing's Hypebeast, a four-year-old gelding by Captaintreacherous out of four-time O'Brien Award winner Anndrovette, also made his first winner's circle appearance this year, taking the 12th race in a new lifetime mark of 1:51.2 and returning $16.60 to win.

“He was a sneaky one. He had a perfect run. He didn’t have to pull out until halfway down the stretch.”

Tritton came close to winning four for a 29th time, but 11-year-old pacing gelding Nandolo N came up just a head short at odds of 11-1 in the fourth race.

“It was cool to crack the million-dollar earnings mark with him,” said Tritton of the career winner of 44 races and more than $1.1 million owned by Stephen Klunowski. “He’s getting older now and he’s not as sharp as what he was but I really enjoy driving him. I think if he had gotten out earlier, he would have won on Saturday.”

So, after that big night, we’re talking about Lauren Tritton returning to catch-driving, right?

“No, we are not!” said Tritton, both emphatically and playfully. “And there’s no convincing me otherwise. I have devoted myself to my family and my business. I just feel like I’ve already done the things I wanted to do as a driver.”

Well, she did manage to do one more thing last week.

Make history.

(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack; photo of Springsteen winning on Aug. 23 at Meadowlands Racetrack)