Sportsfancy pounced off a perfect second over trip to win the $50,000 first leg of the Overbid Series for open pacing mares in 1:49.4 on Friday night at the Meadowlands
Racetrack.
Sportsfancy [$29.60, $8.00, $5.40] and driver Brian Sears tracked 1-2 favourite Martha Maxine (Andy Miller) as she pressured the pacesetter Chancey Lady (Daniel Dube) through swift middle fractions of :55 and 1:22.1. Chancey Lady folded at the head of the stretch, but a weary Martha Maxine could not hold off the late charge of Sportsfancy. One of four winners on the card for Sears, Sportsfancy closed in 27.1 for a length and a quarter victory in the sixth race. Ideal Nectarine (David Miller) capitalized on a ground-saving journey to finish third.
Larry Baron's Sportsfancy has now won 33 of 63 career starts and $686,773. Trained by Josh Green, the five-year-old mare is three-for-six this season.
Sears also steered Chasin Racin to a 1:52.1 victory in the first of two $16,000 Matts Scooter Series divisions for three-year-old pacers on the card. Chasin Racin brushed to the lead on the backstretch and drew off to a four-length margin over Pure Defiancy (David Miller). The colt improved his slate to four wins in seven career starts. The son of The Panderosa-Contrapan was a $25,000 yearling purchase by trainer George Teague Jr. and Elmer Fannin of Lincoln, Delaware.
Hypnotic Blue Chip, driven by Tim Tetrick, got up in the final strides to win the second Matts Scooter division over River Shark (Andy Miller) in 1:51.3. The Junior Trendsetter Series champion scored his third straight win for trainer Mark Harder and co-owners Deena Rachel Frost of Delray Beach, Florida, Stable 45 of Hauppauge, New York and Robert Murphy of Surrey, B.C. The son of Art Major-A Traceofmagic was a $75,000 yearling purchase.
The Overbid and Matts Scooter Series continue with a second leg next Friday.
In regular racing action, Likeabatoutahell was the runaway winner for the second straight week in the Invitational Trot scoring in a quick 1:52.2 – his fastest mile this year.
Chick N Tell, driven by Ron Pierce, left hard from the outside Post 10 leading the way past the first quarter in :28. Sitting in third, Likeabatoutahell made his move under the guidance of Brian Sears. The 3-2 fan favourite claimed the lead before the half in :55.2 and never looked back. He led past three-quarters in 1:24.2 then finished off his rivals with a :28-second final frame crossing the wire with two and a half lengths on the field.
Chick N Tell was the runner-up while Dink Adoo (David Miller) finished third.
The six-year-old Sjs Caviar-Miss Molly Tamale gelding notched his third win in nine tries this year for trainer Trond Smedshammer and owner Michael Andrew of Gorham, Maine. The winner’s share of the $31,500 purse pushed his yearly earnings to $84,700. Likeabatoutahell has won 18 times in his career earning a total of $437,938 in purses.
To view Friday’s results, click here.
(With files from NJSEA)