Odds On Wildfire cut red-hot fractions on the front-end in the Saturday, April 11 feature at The Meadowlands, and just like on Dec. 13 of last year, he held on in another speed-show spectacular for the gelded son of Bettors Wish-Odds On Naples.

He finished second a week after that December score, in which he stopped the clock in 1:49.3 after a :54.1 half and 1:21.4 three-quarters, but has raced just once since in a sixth-place finish at Yonkers on March 23 after an early break. But the Geovany Hernandez-owned and -trained four-year-old was ready to rock on Saturday after a 1:52.1 winning qualifier at Harrah’s Philadelphia on April 7.

“Geo does a great job with his horses,” said winning driver Dexter Dunn. “It was a big mile tonight.”

Odds On Wildfire was quick off the car in the $31,250 eighth race for high-end conditioned pacers, racing on the outside first-over in the nine-horse field as leader Renaldo N (Lauren Tritton) hit the quarter in :27.1. Odds On Wildfire then rolled up to the top and reached the half in a taxing :54.2, then came under fire from 5-2 favourite Saba Rock (Jason Bartlett), who mounted a challenge first-up to three-quarters in 1:22. Saba Rock appeared poised to go right on by the leader, but Odds On Wildfire re-fired, keeping the public choice at bay throughout an arduous stretch duel, and he held on by a half-length in a lifetime-best 1:49. Wish You Well (Tim Tetrick) was crisp late to get third.

“He’s got some class and he fought them off well,” said Dunn.

Odds On Wildfire raised his lifetime stats to 14 wins from 31 tries while increasing his earnings to $229,442. He paid $11.40 as the 9-2 fourth choice in the betting.

Debbie Little, the associate editor and columnist from Harness Racing Update, was back serving as host on the Sam McKee Memorial Broadcast Set, and she, as well as her husband, Big M TV regular Dave, gave their fans a joyous evening wearing out a path to the cashier’s window. Debbie selected four winners on top, starting her night in the first race with Woodmere Leah ($8.60 to win, $30.80 exactor). She then gave out Spirit Of Stlouis N ($2.80) in the sixth, Odds On Wildfire ($11.40) in the eighth and best bet Beat Cop ($7.20) in the 12th.

The Littles made a score in the Late 50-cent Pick-4, as both used Beat Cop as a single, with Dave cashing in for $348.25 (having the $69.65 payoff five times) and Debbie (three times) for $208.95. Playing both of their tickets would have meant investing $76 and cashing in for $557.20, good for a profit of $481.20. Finally, Dave’s “Little’s Late Double” rolled in, returning $164 for a $40 wager, resulting in a profit of $124.

Five-time Dan Patch Driver of the Year Dunn had the best night of the pilots, guiding three horses to victory lane. Hernandez and Shaun Vallee each trained two winners on the night.

All-source betting on the 14-race card totalled $3,066,093, the third time this year that wagering went past the $3-million mark. Racing resumes at the Big M on Friday at 6:35 p.m.

(Meadowlands Racetrack)