The method may not be one that her nervous backers appreciate, but Reckless Abandon recorded her second straight victory with ease, despite racing in last for much of the mile at The Meadowlands on Friday night, July 26 when six $34,247 leg three New Jersey Sire Stakes dashes for two-year-olds of each sex and gait were conducted during the card.
In the lone filly pace, Reckless Abandon raced in sixth for a second straight week for the first half-mile as Beach Babe led at the quarter in :27.1 and Worklifebalance the half in :55.3. At the five-eighths, TH Summer Lovin popped out of the five-hole and swiftly went after the leaders while providing a live tow for 1-9 favourite Reckless Abandon, who tipped off her cover inside the eighth pole and sprinted away to an easy 2-1/4-length victory in a lifetime-best 1:52. TH Summer Lovin held second with Worklifebalance third.
“She’s a pretty talented filly,” said winning driver Todd McCarthy. “[Trainer] Brett [Pelling] has done a great job with her. She got a good second-over trip.”
“I’m super happy she’s had cover from outside posts, it helps with the anxiety of racing a two-year-old filly four weeks in a row,” said Pelling, who trains the homebred filly for W. J. Donovan and Donal Murphy. “The earplugs were not pulled and she was in hand. I would be confident if Todd decides to get involved early in the [Aug. 2 NJSS] final. She will be fine.”
A daughter of Cattlewash-Reclamation, Reckless Abandon returned $2.10 to her faithful as the 1-9 favourite.
Todd McCarthy swept the pacing divisions with the Bruce Saunders-trained colt Manolete winning in a lifetime-best 1:51.4 as the 2-5 favourite. The Cattlewash-Glancewithme colt was also a repeat winner, following up his maiden-breaking win two weeks ago in the NJSS for owners M And L Of Delaware and M And M Harness Racing.
Todd McCarthy also guided 11-1 shot Conversano (Muscle Hill-Celebrity Ruth) to a 1:55 victory for trainer Juan Cano in one of two divisions for filly trotters. The other filly trot went to 3-1 third choice Champagne Problems (Tactical Landing-Miss Caviar) in 1:55.1 with Dexter Dunn driving for trainer Nancy Takter.
In the first division for colt and gelding trotters, Onajetplane (Walner-Noble Lover) pulled off a 49-1 shocker with a 1:55.1 score in rein to Andy McCarthy for the Noel Daley stable. Trained by Nifty Norman, Yannick G Kemp (Walner-Southwind Adele) was a 1:55.2 winner in the second split for male trotters, with Dave Miller in the sulky of the 5-1 third choice.
Onajetplane created some big payoffs by taking the third race. The 20-cent Survivor Pick-7, which is offered on races two through eight, returned $4,260.18 for those with six winners on their tickets, while the 20-cent Pick-5, available on the first through the fifth, came back $1,646.76.
Todd McCarthy and Dunn tied atop the driver colony leaderboard as each took three jaunts down victory lane. James Slendorn and Eric Davis had driving doubles. Both of Slendorn’s wins were with Kelvin Harrison trainees, making Harrison the top conditioner of the night.
All-source handle totalled $2,545,895 USD on the 14-race card.
Racing resumes on Saturday at 6:20 p.m. Sitting atop the marquee on the program are three eliminations for the $500,000 USD Hambletonian Oaks and two for the $1 million USD Hambletonian.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)