Trainer Mark Silva purchased Tuxedo Bay last fall and started out racing the five-year-old gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere-Spring Break in middle of the road conditioned classes at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Saturday night at the Meadowlands, Tuxedo Bay proved that Silva has a sharp eye for talent by winning the weekly pacing feature at the Big M, the $21,000 Preferred Handicap, for a second straight start in a lifetime-best 1:50.
New Talent grabbed the track early and put Tuxedo Bay in the two-hole. After a quarter of :27, driver Eric Carlson hit the gas in an attempt to put Tuxedo Bay on top but was rebuffed by the leader and had to go back into the pocket.
But his time would come.
New Talent hit the half in :55.1 before being pressured by the first-over Odds On Lauderdale, which quickened the tempo and forced New Talent to go a :27.3 third fraction as three-quarters was reached in 1:22.4.
For a second straight start, New Talent was game to the wire, but in deep stretch, he could not hold off an explosive Tuxedo Bay, who sped up the inside once clear to record the win by 1-1/2 lengths. New Talent held second with Mindtrip third.
As the 4-5 favourite, Tuxedo Bay paid $3.60 to win and now has 13 lifetime victories in 61 starts, good for earnings of $167,018. Since being acquired by Silva, Tuxedo Bay has won five of eight starts and banked $49,160.
The amazing Yannick Gingras kept winning at a breath-taking pace, scoring five times on the program. According to the Meadowlands’ Bob “Hollywood” Heyden, Gingras’ 23 winners (in only 49 starts) over the last four race cards are easily a Big M all-time best for such a span. Dexter Dunn won three times on the card while Carlson scored twice.
Betting in the 20-Cent Survivor Pick-10 pool was a 2019-best $21,633, and one lucky simulcast player in Ohio raked the pot. After surviving eight legs, he or she walked away with $18,388.12.
The 50-Cent Pick-4 was a big hit with bettors for a second straight Saturday, as $108,063 was poured into the pool. Last week, the number was just over $110,000.
(Meadowlands)