Stellar Yankee has been waiting to get the right trip while starting the season winless in four tries, and that trip came in the Saturday, Feb. 21 feature at The Meadowlands, a $26,027 high-end claiming pace for horses sporting a price tag of no less than $54,795 and no more than $82,192.
The eight-year-old son of Always B Miki-Somethinginawater had something else going for him. Regular driver Jordan Stratton was back in the bike behind the gelding, who is trained by Jordan’s brother, Cory.
“I was kind of getting used to not racing for a month and a half,” said Jordan Stratton of his time off, “but I was glad to get back tonight.”
So, too, were his backers, who collected $19.60 to win for the 8-1 third choice in the betting.
The action was hot from the start, and Jordan Stratton was happy to sit in the three-hole off the early duel between Typhoon Banner N (Joe Bongiorno) and Sun Of A Show (Braxten Boyd). Typhoon Banner N led while parked at the quarter in :26.2 before Sun Of A Show made a second move to the top and sprinted past the half in a dazzling :53.2 while Boston Bound (Mark Herschberger) pushed the pacesetter from first-over. Stellar Yankee now made his way into the fray, vacating the rail and getting into striking position second-over.
Boston Bound determinedly grinded his way to the lead at three-quarters in 1:21.1 as Stellar Yankee vaulted off that one’s cover and raced with a clear path through the stretch. It took until the 1/16th pole to get past a stubborn Boston Bound, but the eight-year-old Stellar Yankee took the top and held on to record a neck win in a lifetime-best 1:49.3. Soho Santorini A (Colin Kelly), the winner of this event a week ago, finished second as the 6-5 favourite after following a live tow from the eventual winner. Caviart Lotus (Vinny Ginsburg) displayed good late energy from third-over to get third.
“I just wanted to be up close to the pace,” said Jordan Stratton, who last drove Stellar Yankee on Dec. 6, a half-dozen outings ago. “When that horse (Boston Bound) was parked, we benefitted. But I was definitely nervous (in deep stretch) because any horse could have won it. I was lucky enough to trip out with the hot fractions.”
Stellar Yankee, owned by Howard Jacobs, won for the 33rd time in 196 starts and has now earned $520,663.
Braxten Boyd and Brett Beckwith tied for most driving wins on the 14-race card with three. Geovany Hernandez led the trainers with a pair of victories after sweeping the late double, which paid $46.
The $1 Pick-8 went unhit for a third consecutive offering, creating a carryover of $61,232 for when racing resumes. The winners' odds for the sequence were 2-1, 20-1, 3-5, 4-1, 8-1, 5-2, 3-1 and 12-1. Those with six correct collected $448.20.
A double 20-cent Pick-6 carryover of $11,632 coaxed players to pour $43,490 of new money into the pool, and after a sequence in which winners' odds were 5-2, 3-1, 12-1, 1-1, 9-5 and 6-1, three winning tickets were exchanged for $16,199.74.
All-source handle on the program totalled $2,788,640 USD.
Racing resumes at Meadowlands Racetrack on Friday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m.
Due to the forecasted winter weather for Sunday, Feb. 22, Meadowlands Racetrack, FanDuel Sportsbook and Winners Bayonne will close early at 6 p.m. Simulcasting at The Meadowlands and Winners Bayonne will end at the conclusion of Oaklawn Park.
Meadowlands Racetrack, FanDuel Sportsbook and Winners Bayonne will be closed on Monday, Feb. 23. Check the track's website at playmeadowlands.com for information regarding Tuesday, Feb. 24, simulcasting and sports betting hours.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)