The opening leg of the Oil Burner Series got underway earlier this evening at the Meadowlands Racetrack, with four $25,000 divisions on tap for the for three and four-year-old pacers.
Bettor Sweet, the upset winner of this year’s Progress Pace Final at Dover Downs, went gate-to-wire in a time of 1:51 in the opening split for the team of trainer Joe Poliseno and Hall of Fame reinsman Cat Manzi.
The three-year-old son of Bettors Delight, who was sent off as the 1-2 favourite, whacked out panels of :27.3, :54.2 and 1:23 en route to posting the narrow victory over The Awful Truth. Third prize was doled out to Real Town Guy.
John Cancelliere holds the papers on the career winner of $270,177.
Major General also delivered on an odds-on pari-mutuel promise in his Oil Burner assignment. The sophomore son of Western Ideal rallied to win in a time of 1:52.1 for the Miller brothers – trainer Erv and driver Andy.
It was the fourth win of the season for the colt, who defeated Auctioneer and Major Hottie. Major General has stashed away $205,918 to date for the partnership of Brittany Farms and Reality Stable of Versailles, KY.
Stretch Artist turned in a 35-1 shocker in the third division for trainer Joe Anderson and driver George Brennan. The three-year-old son of Real Artist used a :27.1 final frame to rally to the career-best clocking of 1:52.
Owned by Ian Fromowitz and Gerrie Tucker, the gelding edge past Valentowner in the final strides en route to picking up his fifth win of the campaign in 16 tries. That rival held on to finish second while Rocknroll Band rounded out the top three.
Handsome Prince extended his win streak to three-in-a-row when he rallied to a 1:52.3 victory in the final division for the duo of trainer Kenny Kidd and driver Ron Pierce. The three-year-old son of Grinfromeartoear kicked home in :28 seconds to post the win over Boodle Boy and Southern Comfort.
Buckeye Racing LLC of Newark, OH owns the gelding, who has assembled a 7-6-1 record in his first 20 starts of the season.
The second leg of the Oil Burner Series goes next Saturday, December 13 at the Meadowlands, with the $50,000 (est.) final scheduled for Saturday, December 20.
To view Saturday’s results, click here.