Allstar Legend was on a mission Saturday night at The Meadowlands in the featured 11th race, a $30,000 Free-For-All Handicap Pace.
Scratched down to a field of five, Mike Lachance powered Allstar Legend right around Golden Receiver early, hitting the opening quarter in :25.3. Lachance rated Allstar Legend through a :58-second middle half, leaving Golden Receiver behind turning for home and powering away to win easily as the 8-5 favourite. Stablemate Ultimate Beachboy rallied from last to be second with Sam Hill checking in third. The mile was timed in 1:50.
Allstar Legend is trained by Ron Burke for Brittany Farms and John Cherveny.
The second round of the Caramore Series was contested Saturday night at The Meadowlands with three divisions.
Tell Us More made it a perfect two-for-two in the series, winning impressively in 1:50.1. Sent off as the even-money favourite, Tell Us More went right to the lead again and never looked back, ripping off fractions of :26.4, :54 and 1:22 before drawing clear again to win by three lengths for Jim Marshall III. The final time of 1:50.1 once again lowered the four-year-old's lifetime mark, which was set last week when he won the first division of the Caramore in 1:50.2. On The Radar and Pembroke Dewey were second and third throughout the mile. Marshall III drove the winner for trainer James Siegelman and owner Michael Casalino Jr.
The second division went to Andwin Hanover, who pulled off the 10-1 upset for Vincent Ginsburg. Andwin Hanover took the fight to his competition early, clearing the lead at the opening quarter in :26.1 before flying through the half in :53.3 and three-quarters in 1:22.1. Ginsburg called on his horse for everything nearing the wire and was able to fend off the oncoming King Point, a 38-1 shot himself, to win in 1:52. Reflection Of Blue rallied to be third. The winner is trained by Mel Owens for Rosanne Owens.
The third Caramore split wrapped up the Saturday night card and went to Grab Your Keys, who chased down the speedster Duel In The Sun, who wheeled off fractions of :27.1, :54.2 and 1:21.3, putting up consistent :27.1 quarters until he was collared in the stretch. Grab Your Keys rallied for Marcus Miller, giving him a hat trick on the program. The winner is trained by Michael Fiumenero for Sam Demchak and Brian Bennett. The victory was the third in a row for Grab Your Keys and established a new lifetime mark of 1:50.1.
Racing returns on Friday, with first post time at 7:15 p.m. The Friday program features a $50,000 TVG Free For All Trot, on the road to the TVG Free For All Championships, as well as The Flower Child Final. Come out Friday night for your chance to win tickets to see Beyonce and Jay-Z at MetLife Stadium.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)