Adorabella and Century Ferrari were the winners Friday night (October 9) at The Meadowlands as the mile oval hosted a pair of Fall Harvest Series Finals for pacers as the co-featured events on the card.
Adorabella, a four-year-old by Pet Rock-Bella Marta, took the division for fillies and mares in a lifetime-best 1:53.1 for driver Victor Kirby. The Don Niccum trainee, who won for a third straight start, never saw the rail around the first turn and blew past early leader Rock N Roll Rosie just after the quarter, which went in :26.3.
Now a nine-time winner from 40 lifetime starts, Adorabella ($8 to win as the second choice) led past the half and took pressure from Streak The Lawn around the far turn while Streak The Lawn was providing a live tow for even-money favourite Jazz Fest.
A final quarter of :28.3 proved to be enough for the winner to hold on by three-quarters of a length. Justabitofcharm went the inside route to get second. Jazz Fest tipped off cover at just the right time with a little more than an eighth of a mile to go but sputtered from there in a no-excuse third-place finish.
Century Ferrari, trained and driven by Bill Mann, won the dash for horses and geldings in 1:52.3, giving the offspring of American Ideal-Sounds Perfect seven wins from 38 lifetime starts.
The four-year-old gelding had things go his way, thanks to a perfect steer from Mann. After 9-5 favourite Thunder Some Where cleared the top before the half, Pembroke Joey rushed up into contention around the far turn while providing a perfect tow for the eventual winner, who tipped off his cover at the eighth pole and needed every inch of the stretch to get past a pesky Pembroke Joey by a neck. Thunder Some Where held third.
As the 2-1 second choice, Century Ferrari returned $6.20 to win.
A LITTLE MORE: Kirby, who won four last Friday after his trip up the NJ Turnpike, guided three to victory lane. … Leon Bailey, the leading driver this year on the New York County Fair circuit, proved he can hack it in the bright lights of the big city, winning twice on program, his first two victories at The Meadowlands. … All-source wagering totaled $1,776,958. … Racing resumes Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)