Driver Jim Marohn Jr. sat behind six winners on the Saturday, June 9 program at the Meadowlands Racetrack, including All Bets Off, who won in a North American season's record of 1:48 in the $20,000 Preferred Handicap Pace.
All Bets Off, who upped his lifetime earnings to $2.97 million, scorched the Big M’s mile oval after leaving alertly, then yielding to a headstrong Mel Mara, who hit the quarter in :26.1. Sicily then made a bold move to the top at the three-eighths before reaching the half in :53.1.
Enter All Bets Off, who vacated the three hole at the five-eighths and made a ferocious move to pass Sicily and secure the top just after three-quarters. The seven-year-old son of Bettors Delight then sprinted home in :26.3 to stop the clock one-fifth of a second faster than Highalator (last week at the Big M) and Easy Lover Hanover (May 5 at Woodbine Mohawk Park) did earlier in the year. Western Fame was two-and-three-quarter lengths back in second with Emeritus Maximus grabbing the show dough.
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All Bets Off returned $3.40 to win. He's trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Baldachino and Panhellenic Stable.
Marohn’s six-pack came with Rockinwiththebest ($6.80 to win, 1:51.3 for the mile) in the second race, The Fire Within ($3.00, 1:51.4) in the third, Feel The Need A ($5.40, 1:50.3) in the fourth, Wheels On Fire ($2.40, 1:51) in the sixth, All Bets Off in the seventh and Southern Pursuit N ($3.80, 1:51.1) in the 10th.
A LITTLE MORE: Wagering was down once again, the result of a light entry box. On the comparable card last year, a total of 92 betting interests competed on an 11-race card (8.4 per race) that saw a total wager of $2,349,707. On Saturday, it was again an 11-race program, but only 80 horses raced (7.3 per race, a decrease of 13 percent) with betting that totaled $2,102,020 (down 10.5 percent).
The Late 20-Cent Jackpot Super High-Five failed to result in a single-ticket winner, bloating the carryover to $252,765.
Racing resumes at the Big M Friday, June 15 at 7:15 p.m.
(With files from the Meadowlands)