The remarkable Preppy Art did it again.
At this time, it would be hard to find a better inexpensive claimer than this veteran, who won his sixth consecutive race at the $7,500 claiming level for pacers at the Meadowlands Thursday night as the Big M hosted its first of four Thursday night cards during December.
Racing out of the Nick Surick barn – his fourth different stable in four starts – Preppy Art was sent to the gate as the 1-5 public choice and driver Andy Miller rolled him immediately to the top and stopped the clock at the quarter in :27.3. A tepid second fraction of :29 followed, and even though Luck N Roll K moved boldly three-wide on the far turn to get into contention, he could not threaten the eventual winner, who hit the wire 3½ lengths in front of Luck N Roll K in 1:52.1, a season’s best for the 7-year-old gelded son of Art Colony-Electric Smile.
For Preppy Art – who paid $2.40 to win – his winning streak is even more amazing when you consider how he’d been doing before his winning ways began. At the end of 2017, he lost his last eight starts. During 2018, he had zero wins in 30 starts. In 2019, he was winless in his first 21 outings. Thus, he has won a half-dozen straight after losing 59 in a row.
His streak created quite a stir at the claiming box, as 15 claims were entered on the horse. He leaves the Surick barn – where he had been owned by Melvin Fink and Debbie Surick – and now will race out of Traci Berry’s barn after being claimed for a fifth straight start, this time by J. Craparotta and Pat Berry Racing.
Lifetime, Preppy Art has 17 wins from 116 starts, good for earnings of $134,116. His lifetime best of 1:51.2 came two years ago at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Meadowlands)