One week after being beaten a neck for all the money, Ontario Success did not disappoint those that bet him down to odds on favouritism in the top-level condition pace for $17,000 on Saturday night at The Meadowlands.
Released as the even-money choice, driver Yannick Gingras took no prisoners, sending his horse to the lead past the opening quarter in 27-seconds. He was able to work out a :57.3 middle half-mile, hitting the half-mile in :55.3 and three-quarters in 1:24.3. On the far turn, he faced a bold challenge from 35-1 longshot Kingofthejungle, who launched a big move and was at the leaders throat latch coming off the far turn. Martini Hanover was tracking from the pylons while Rockin Wizard began to rally off the cover of Kingofthejungle. In the middle of the stretch, Kingofthejungle stumbled and Ontario Success suddenly found himself with a two-length lead. Rockin Wizard was closing well down the center of the track, but the wire came just in time for Ontario Success, who scored in 1:51.2 over Rockin Wizard. Martini Hanover, last week’s winner in this class, finished third.
The victory was the sixth of the season for Ontario Success. Trainer Ron Burke co-owns the gelding with Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
The win was one of three on the card for Gingras. Tim Tetrick also bagged three winners on the Saturday program.
Ashleys Husband has taken his seasonal mark each of the last two years at The Meadowlands; his mark this year of 1:50 was a lifetime-best effort as well. So it was fitting that he returned off the 10-week layoff at The Meadowlands and it was no surprise that he returned a winner.
Sent off as the 2-1 favourite, Ashleys Husband tracked a live outer flow throughout the second half of the mile for Joe Bongirono, tipped three-wide into the stretch and paced fastest of all to the wire, to score in a lifetime-best equalling time of 1:50. The win marked his seventh trip to the Meadowlands winner’s circle.
Ashelys Husband is trained by Kyle Spagnola, who made it four consecutive starts resulting in victories at The Meadowlands with this win. He would improve on that record when Our Dragon King won the 10th race as an overwhelming favourite as well. For the meet, Spagnola’s record shows seven wins from nine starts, following a weekend that saw him go five-for-five.
Ashleys Husband is owned by William J. Donovan. His Saturday score was his 22nd lifetime win and he now has earnings over $164,000.
Trainer Jimmy Takter continues to send out powerful two-year-old performers at The Meadowlands. On Saturday evening, it was a two-year-old gelded son of Rocknroll Hanover, All The Cookies, the latest Takter trainee to grace the Big M winner’s circle.
The even-money favourite, with Gingras in the sulky, was three-wide early in the first turn, but settled and made a strong brush to the lead as the field straightened away on the backstretch. After a :27.2 first quarter, All The Cookies led the field through fractions of :55.1 and 1:24.2 before turning for home in command. Major In Life rallied well in the stretch, but not enough to threaten the winner, All The Cookies, who scored in 1:53. Wegottatruckyea was a sneaky-good third.
All The Cookies won for the second time in three starts to begin his career. The Takter trainee is owned by Christina Takter, Brixton Medical, Louis Camara and Joe Sbrocco.
Pistopackinpiper, who established his career in the Midwest, made his first start for new trainer Nick Surick a winning one, when he rallied in deep stretch to win a three-horse photo in 1:52.2 for Marcus Miller. Surick also teamed up to win the $10,000 claiming nightcap with Brioni.
Pistopackinpiper had ground to make up on Mullet Blue Chip, who led at every point of call, but used every inch of the long Meadowlands stretch to just grab the victory on the wire. App Heaven rallied up the pylons to be third.
The winner is owned by Jerry Graham and Engel Stable Of Illinois.
Handle for the 13-race Saturday program was $2,519,723.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)