With arch-rival Trolley opting to take the week off, Sutton had little trouble winning the Friday night feature at the Meadowlands, the $30,000 Preferred Handicap for trotters.
Andy Miller had the gas pedal down from the start as the six-year-old son of Donato Hanover-I Wanted Wings swooped past rivals from post seven in the eight-horse field and made the lead at the quarter in a brisk :27.1.
Sutton raced on an open lead from there all the way to the wire, as the pocket-sitting Pinkman, making his 2019 debut, offered little in the way of a threat. Sutton was 2-1/2 lengths clear of Pinkman at the wire, with Golden Son finishing third.
The Julie Miller-trained Sutton, who finished third in the 2016 Hambletonian, has now won half of his four 2019 starts after completing the mile in 1:52.3. He paid $4.80 to win as the 7-5 public choice. Lifetime, he’s amassed 12 wins from 39 outings and earned $542,288 for owners Andy Miller Stable and Jason and Douglas Allen.
BURKE DOUBLES IN SERIES ACTION: A pair of series for three-year-old colts and geldings got underway on the Friday card and trainer Ron Burke had one winner in each.
In the Walner Series for trotters, Burke scored with the Joe Bongiorno-driven Final Claim in 1:55.2. Final Claim, now two-for-two this year, scored as the 7-5 second choice as Burke’s other trainee, even-money choice Goes Down Smooth, went off stride at the start and finished last.
The Ray Schnittker-trained and driven Full Rights took the other division in 1:55.4 as the longest shot on the board at odds of 32-1.
Burke hit the winner's circle in the Wiggle It Jiggleit Series for pacers with 9-2 fourth choice World On Edge in 1:54.1 for driver Yannick Gingras. Respect Our Flag took the other division for the trainer/driver, sister/brother team of Jenn and Joe Bongiorno in 1:52.4 as the 6-5 second choice.
CAP4 POOL DEEPENS: A total of $65,235 was wagered in the third edition of the Can-Am Pick-4, by far the largest pool yet.
Form players cashed in for $48.84 for the bet that has a 20-cent base wager after a sequence that saw winner’s odds of 5-2, 3-5, 9-5 and 9-2.
A LITTLE MORE: Those sharp enough to throw Schnittker’s Full Rights into their 50-cent Pick-5 combinations and hit walked away with a handsome payoff of $9,274. … Burke finished the night with three training wins while Julie Miller had two. … Andy Miller, Bongiorno, Gingras and Dave Miller all had driving doubles. Dave Miller broke out of a slump, as he had won only once in his first 19 drives since returning from vacation. … All-source handle totaled $2,626,955 on the 13-race card. … Racing resumes Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)