Blatantly Good was just that as he held off the tenacious Jeremys Successor to win the $50,000 opening round of the Presidential Series Saturday night at Meadowlands Racetrack
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Driver Richie Silverman and Blatantly Good circled wide to take the lead in a brisk :55.1 half and tackled immediate pressure from Jeremys Successor (Tyler Buter) to their outside. The two horses were just noses apart at the top of the stretch until the favoured Blatantly Good found a second gear and edged away to a neck victory in 1:50.1. Western Shore (George Brennan) drafted behind Jeremys Successor to grab the show spot. Blatantly Good paid $5.40 to win the featured seventh race for free for all pacers.
The six-year-old son of Albert Albert-Lifeline extended his winning streak to four races for trainer Mark Kesmodel and owner Jeffrey Bamond of Brick, New Jersey. Lifetime, he has now won 29 of 89 starts and $435,069.
The Presidential Series continues with a $50,000 second leg on January 16 and concludes with an estimated $125,000 final on January 23.
Overlooked by the betting public as the 6-1 fifth choice in the $30,000 Open Pace, Michaels Marvel reached the lead as the field of six turned the final corner, and was home free by mid-stretch for driver George Brennan and trainer Mark Harder.
Lucky Bettor (Brian Sears) left from the outside post and put up a :27.1 first quarter with Michaels Marvel tucked in the two-hole. Psilvuheartbreaker (John Campbell) moved to the outside from one position back and brushed to command near the :56 half. As that one led to three-quarters in 1:24.3, Michaels Marvel moved into the passing lane and proceeded to open up two and a quarter lengths on the field in the stretch. The son of Jennas Beach Boy-Michelles Jackpot tripped the timer in 1:52.
Poker Hat (Yannick Gingras) and favourite Noble Falcon (Tim Tetrick) closed from the backfield and reached the wire together for second and third.
The win was Michaels Marvel’s first of the season in two outings this year. The eight-year-old gelding, six-for-26 in 2009, scored for the 25th time in his career and lifted his earnings to $723,448 for owner Robert Murphy of Surrey, B.C.
Meadowlands Racetrack's first Sunday matinee of the season is January 10. Post time is 1:10 p.m. The track will continue on a Wednesday - Sunday racing schedule through April 18.
To view Saturday's results, click here.
(With files from NJSEA)