After favourites dominated at The Meadowlands last week, Friday (Dec. 4) evening’s 13-race card kicked off with three consecutive odds-on choices all handed defeat.
The upsets continued in the evening’s featured $25,000 Open Handicap Trot, which saw Crosbys Clam Bake upset at 29-1, striking the front in just the final yards to collar pacesetter Waiting On A Woman for a 1:53.3 victory.
A mid-pack leave attempt landed the five-year-old Kadabra gelding just off the pace, stalking the sharp Waiting On A Woman (Corey Callahan) and Opulent Yankee (Andy Miller) through a :27.1 initial quarter. Locked in by outer flow headed by Handover Belle (Yannick Gingras) through middle sectionals of :56.2 and 1:24.4, driver Scott Zeron wouldn’t be availed room until the eighth pole, where he wedged Crosbys Clam Back out from between a one-paced Opulent Yankee and a resurgent Handover Belle — who stalled briefly upon exiting the far turn. Once Crosbys Clam Bake shook free, he accelerated up to the winning post, driven to defeat Waiting On A Woman in the final yards by a scant neck while staving off Handover Belle’s comeback rally. Master Of Law (David Miller), sent off the 7-5 favourite, only mustered a fourth-place finish off his second-over trip.
Andrew Federico Jr. trains 20-time winner Crosbys Clam Bake for Randy Bendis, Jack Piatt II, and Tom Pollack.
In the $20,000 “Dash for the ‘G’ Notes” final for distaff pacers, the Shaun Vallee-trained and driven Jungle Genie N notched her third stateside win in as many starts in upset fashion, but only as the 9-2 third choice.
After stalking a pressured pace from the mid-division, Vallee angled the six-year-old Bettors Delight mare second-over with five-eighths of the mile remaining, only really towed closer when Pan Luis Obispo (Callahan) accelerated at the apex of the far turn. With odds-on pacesetter Solid Queen (Gingras) starting to toil at head-stretch, Jungle Genie N kicked cover, drawing off to a two-length victory over Pan Luis Obispo in 1:52.3. Weekend Getaway (Andy Miller) mounted a mild stand-side rally to take third from her fourth-over trip, while Solid Queen ultimately faded to finish last but one.
Total handle for the Friday card was $2,758,743, an increase of $485,278 compared to the same Friday last season, or 21 percent.
Live racing continues at The Meadowlands with a 13-race program on Saturday (December 5) evening, featuring a pair of $20,000 “Dash for the ‘G’ Notes” events. Post time is 7 p.m. Eastern.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)