The Anette Lorentzon-trained Some Chapter delivered on his pari-mutuel promise, winning Friday night's featured trot at The Meadowlands.
The seven-year-old gelded son of Chapter Seven-Some Kinda Special closed off cover to win the $16,447 mid-range conditioned trot in 1:54.2, paying $3.80 as the 4-5 chalk. Lexus Ranger edged out Top Me Off for second, 2-3/4 lengths behind the popular winner.
“I was a little surprised at how heavy he was favoured because he’d been off for more than a month,” said winning driver Jordan Stratton. “But he has a history of racing at The Meadowlands and he loves to trot home.”
Some Chapter's victory in the 10th race capped off a driving triple on the night for Stratton as the 36-year-old reinsman led the driver colony.
Windsun Mojito, a five-year-old by Hes Watching-Artistic Melody, gave Stratton his first winner of the night in the second race in 1:53.1 in a TrackMaster 74 fillies and mares pace. Stratton's brother Cory trained the winner, who returned $4.60 to her backers as the 6-5 public choice.
“There was a speedball up front,” said Stratton. “She came off cover and won pretty handily.”
Claiming pacer Sgt Papa Daddy recorded his third straight win, taking the seventh race in 1:52.3 for the brothers Stratton. The 10-year-old gelded son of Rockin Image-Little Tootsie returned $2.40 as the 1-5 favourite.
“He’s been around for a long time,” said Stratton. “He’s as sharp as can be. Cory has a great eye for claimers.”
The hot claiming commodity was taken for a third straight race, this time by trainer Ron Harmon, and if he wins next week, that would be four straight victories in four different barns.
It could have been a monster night for Stratton, who finished second four times on the card, which included missing by a nose with Shinkansen in the third race and Plzdontlietome N in the 13th.
“Shinkansen got used hard out of the gate and got rough on the far turn,” said Stratton. “I drove Plzdontlietome N like a 3-5 shot and it didn’t work out.”
Stratton, whose 220 wins were good for fourth in the Yonkers driver colony during 2023, also did some good work at The Big M last year, winning 49 races, which was ninth in the standings.
On Saturday night, multi-leg bet lovers will have a pair of carryovers to shoot for. The 20-cent Pick-8 failed to yield a winning ticket for a third straight program, creating a carryover of $5,022. Those with six correct collected $25.68. The 20-cent Pick-6 will start out with $3,699 in the hat. Tickets with five winning selections were exchanged for $1,233.30.
All-source handle on the 14-race card totalled $3,228,629 USD.
Racing resumes on Saturday at 6:20 p.m.
(With files from The Meadowlands)