Inittowinafortune ($5.00) seized command early and never looked back in Friday (November 25) evening’s top distaff pace at The Meadowlands, using a powerful :54.2 back half to evade her eight rivals in the $17,500 feature by two and three-quarter lengths.
Corey Callahan wasted no time with the six-year-old daughter of Cams Fortune, putting her in play and clearing the lead just upon entering the first turn. Inittowinafortune made every call a winning one, facing no pressure at all through sectionals of :27 and :55.3 before edging away from a mild first-over challenge from Windsun Glory (Joe Bongiorno) in the final five-sixteenths of the mile. Inittowinafortune sprinted off at first asking, and she maintained clearance on the field while taken in hand for the last sixteenth of her 1:50 triumph. Windsun Glory duelled down pocket rival Better Said (Brett Miller) in upper stretch to secure a clear runner-up spot, while Shutthefrontdoor (Scott Zeron) charged down the grandstand side from the tail of the field to just nab Delightful Dragon (David Miller) for third.
Michael Russo trains 34-time winner Inittowinafortune for Michael Pagonas. The win was her second of the season, and just two-fifths of a second shy of her lifetime best.
Pick 5 Yields Hefty Payday
While two of five favourites prevailed in the night’s 50-cent Pick 5 sequence, mid-price winners Big Expense ($25.80, Kyle Husted) and Young American ($15.00, Kyle DiBenedetto), in the third and fourth races, respectively, set up for a carryover situation should any horse save odds-on favourite Opulent Yankee prevail in the closing leg. As Opulent Yankee ($3.40, Andy Miller) indeed converted in a dominant 1:54 performance, successful players ultimately earned $8,870.20 on the wager which attracted a total pool of $41,754.
Total handle for the 12-race card was $2,179,769. First post for Saturday (November 26) evening’s 13-race program at the Big M is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Eastern, and the closing race 20-cent Jackpot Super High Five carryover mounts to $44,213.23.
(With files from The Meadowlands)