Water Sports Teen displayed remarkable grit one week ago when in with $34,246 claimers, after taking over at the half and going down the road from there in 1:51 with a horse menacing him throughout the stretch drive.

His assignment on Saturday, March 28 at The Meadowlands: Could he win again bumping up to meet better in the $26,389 featured claiming handicap pace for horses in for a tag of no less than $55,556 and no more than $83,333?

The answer was a resounding yes.

Off an eye-popping speed-at-the-start, speed-at-the-end score last week in this event, Sun Of A Show (Braxten Boyd) was on the go from the get-go in the 10-horse field, as were Rockin Jukebox (Joe Bongiorno) and Southwind Gendry (Yannick Gingras). Driver Andy McCarthy opted out of the early fray and sat in the four-hole with Water Sports Teen as Rockin Jukebox hit the quarter in :27.1.

Southwind Gendry, despite drawing post 10, made the front soon thereafter, which is when McCarthy moved Water Sports Teen off the rail and sprinted up to the point at the half in :55. Rockin Jukebox came back for more first-over at the five-eighths, applying pressure to the leader into the far turn, but was still a length behind at three-quarters, which went in 1:22.4.

The battle was now on for the stretch drive.

“Water” on the inside, “Jukebox” on the outside, but McCarthy’s horse continued to find enough, and despite a final late surge by Rockin Jukebox, Water Sports Teen held sway to record his third win in his last four tries by a head in 1:50.3. Southwind Gendry finished third.

“He’s been super and was very strong last week,” said McCarthy. “And (tonight) he got the job done.

“Joey (Bongiorno, driving Rockin Jukebox) was coming fast, but this horse, he’s pretty tough. He saw him coming on the outside. He dug it and fought him off and did not give it up. He’s just a nice horse. He’s tough, has a good set of lungs and the will to win.”

An eight-year-old gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere-Posey Tina who is trained by Aaron Lambert, Water Sports Teen lifted his lifetime stats to 27 wins from 130 starts, good for earnings of $519,049. Owned by Vincent P. Ferriero Jr., he returned $11.60 to his backers after being sent to the gate as the 9-2 fourth choice in the wagering.

BOZICH AND LITTLE LIGHT IT UP: It was a good night on the Sam McKee Memorial Broadcast Set, as co-host Mike Bozich, the voice of Harrah’s Philadelphia, and Big M TV veteran host Dave Little both had extraordinary nights.

Bozich finished the card with seven winners, including the last four in a row. His night got off to a terrific start when he gave out Hes A Sweetheart ($11.80 to win) in the first race to go along with a $100 exacta and the $618.20 trifecta.

His “Final Four” included the Pick-3s in both the 13th and 14th races, which paid $34.30 and $25.40, respectively.

Little tabbed six on top, but his followers were most pleased after playing his Early 50-cent Pick-4, when Little used short-priced favourites in the sixth and ninth races as singles. After catching a 6-1 winner in the seventh race and a 9-2 chance in the eighth, Little’s fans cashed in for $766.40 after an investment of just $36.

NEW POST TIME: If 6 p.m. was too early for you to make it out to the races, then the new post time change is for you.

Effective Friday, April 3, post time for the first race will push back to 6:35 p.m.

Live harness racing will continue on a Friday-Saturday basis.

A LITTLE MORE: The “Killer Bs” were at it again, as Brett Beckwith, Braxten Boyd, Jason Bartlett and Joe Bongiorno tied atop the driver leaderboard with two wins apiece. … Bongiorno was the top trainer with a pair of walks down victory lane. … All-source handle on the 14-race program totaled $2,536,832.

(Meadowlands)