Driver David Miller had the hot hand Friday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack, with a pair of New Jersey Sire Stakes divisions among his multiple wins.
The Hall of Famer scored in the first pari-mutuel race – a $15,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes event for three-year-old pacing fillies – with 3-5 public choice Hypnotic Tale (Hypnotic Blue Chip-Born Storyteller) in 1:53.1, which lowered her previous lifetime best by two and two-fifth seconds. The Linda Toscano trainee is owned and was bred by Ronald Mario.
Miller also scored with the Domenico Cecere-trained Hat Trick Habit, who prevailed in a lifetime-best 1:54 as the 9-5 public choice in the fourth race conditioned trot before winning again with Super S Yzerman in the ninth race “Dash for the G Notes” pace in 1:53 as the 3-1 second choice. In the process, Super S Yzerman lowered his previous lifetime-best by four and one-fifth seconds.
Miller also drove 80 Slot Right Stable's three-year-old pacing gelding Melanies Fran (Hypnotic Blue Chip-Natalie) to a 1:57.3 victory in a non-wagering, two-horse NJSS division before the main program. The nine-length winner is trained by Kevin McDermott.
The other NJSS divisions were won by Deshawn Minor trainees. Daniel Lengacher's three-year-old trotting filly Samis Rolin Stone (Wishing Stone-Sammies Girl) won her division in 1:56.4 with Brett Miller aboard and Annemette Minor's three-year-old trotting colt Shoshie Deo (Wishing Stone-Fortune Dream) took his non-betting split in 1:56.2 in rein to George Brennan.
CHURN, BABY, CHURN: Chalk players had a nice night, as the first five races were taken by the post-time choice and a total of six favourites scored on the program. Two other races were taken by the second choice.
A LITTLE MORE: The early 20-cent Jackpot Super High-Five was hit. The lucky player holding the combination of 7-8-5-1-9 in the eighth race cashed in for $10,522. … All-source wagering was down 18 per cent over the corresponding card from last year. The primary culprits being one five-horse field and another that was scratched down to four. The total wagered was $2,030,038. … The 20-cent Survivor Pick-10 saw one simulcast player at Pompano Park the only bettor to survive nine legs. The payoff was $17,070. … The late 20-cent Jackpot Super High-Five failed to result in a single-ticket winner, upping the carryover to $226,062. … Racing resumes at the Big M Saturday at 7:15 p.m. Gates open at 9:30 a.m., with the first race at Pimlico slated for 10:30 p.m. and the Preakness scheduled to go at 6:48 p.m.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)