Odds On St Lucie gave driver Vinny Ginsburg quite a workout Friday night. And that was just in the post parade.
Before the featured $31,250 high-end conditioned pace for fillies and mares at the Meadowlands, the four-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou-Shes Some Treasure was rank in the pre-race lineup and would not calm down until the outrider intervened. “Headstrong doesn’t quite describe her,” joked Ginsburg.
Given how she raced, the amount of difficulty she brought was well worth it.
Odds On St Lucie saw her two-race win streak end last week at the hands of odds-on favourite Major Occasion A, but got back on the winning track Friday by beating a top-flight field in 1:50.2.
Wisdom Tree, the 4-5 favourite, made her way to the top while parked at the half in a demanding :54.4. Once Wisdom Tree cleared, Odds On St Lucie was left first-over, and while she did inch her way closer to the leader down the backstretch, she was still 2-1/4 lengths behind in third with just three-sixteenths to go.
But she was up to the task at hand.
“She’s wicked fast and becoming versatile and improving every time she goes on the track,” said Ginsburg.
Through the stretch, ‘Lucie’ kept on coming, and after having to swerve a bit to avoid contact with Sandy Win as that one vacated the pocket, went on to a neck victory. Sandy Win finished second with Wisdom Tree third.
“She really dug in tonight off a tough trip against some nice mares,” said Ginsburg. “I thought I’d be second-up but when Timmy (Tetrick, driving Wisdom Tree) went to the lead I just rode and she did the rest.”
Odds On St Lucie returned $8 to her backers as the 3-1 second choice in the betting. She races out of the Tony Alagna barn for owners Odds On Racing and has now won 10 of her 27 lifetime starts, good for earnings of $231,217.
ALL HAIL THE CAPTAIN: Corey Callahan had the hot hand among the drivers, steering five to the winner’s circle. ‘The Captain’ piloted the winners of four in a row beginning in the sixth race before taking the 13th and final to cap his five-bagger. … Pat Berry had three winners, including 5-1 and 16-1 shots, respectively, in the 10th and 11th races, to complete the Pick-4, which paid $285.40 despite Callahan winning the first two legs at 3-5 and 3-2. … Ginsburg also handled three winners on the card, meaning Callahan, Berry and Ginsburg combined to win 11 of the 13 races on the program.
A LITTLE MORE: One sharp player betting into the Kentucky hub was the only bettor to last eight legs in the 20-cent Survivor Pick-10 and collected a healthy payoff of $7,538.82. That makes seven straight SP10s that have paid $3,000 or more. … All-source handle totaled $2,290,954. … Racing resumes Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)