Im Some Graduate used a pocket trip to upset Geez Joe in the $20,000 Preferred Handicap for pacers on Saturday, Dec. 22 at the Meadowlands.
Driver Yannick Gingras put Im Some Graduate in play from post six and led at the quarter before Marcus Miller and even-money favourite Geez Joe stormed to the outside from post eight to grab the top shortly thereafter. Geez Joe’s went a :26.4 second fraction with a stiff wind at his back and looked poised to take his fourth-straight Big M victory.
Highlandbeachycove came calling to offer token pressure at the three-quarters while Gingras and Im Some Graduate continued to wait patiently for their chance right in behind the leader.
Geez Joe still had a length on Im Some Graduate at the head of the lane but, over a track that favoured closers for the first half of the 14-race card, Im Some Graduate rallied with a rush along the inside as Geez Joe tired in deep stretch to grab a one-and-a-half-length victory in 1:51. Ron Burke trainees finished 1-2 as Clouseau Hanover outkicked Geez Joe for second.
Im Some Graduate, a five-year-old gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere-Western Graduate, scored in his first Meadowlands start since March 10 and returned $8.00 as the second choice in the wagering. He’s won eight of 31 starts this season and 14 of 62 lifetime, good for a bankroll of $268,578 for owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Silva, Purnell, Libby and Karr.
DAVID’S FAB FIVE: Gingras had a superb night, winning four times including the feature. But the driving star was David Miller, who scored five times on the program. Ron Burke led the trainers with three victories, all driven by Gingras.
A LITTLE MORE: 50-Cent Pick-5 players didn’t have to spread their tickets terribly wide to make a nice score. The winning odds during the sequence were 8-5, 5-1, 5-1, 6-1 and 3-1, creating a payoff of $2,677.
The strong winds gave handicappers a challenging night as the first half of the program saw horses win from off the pace. Speed then took over for a handful of races before the winds in their face in the stretch returned, turning the bias back to closers.
All-source wagering totaled $2,339,334.
Racing resumes Thursday, Dec. 27 at 7:15 p.m.
(With files from the Meadowlands)