Wrong Sounds Right picked up his third win in his last four tries on Friday, Aug. 21 at The Meadowlands after taking the $111,111 Garden State for two-year-old colts and geldings on the trot.
The Jim Campbell trainee, sent off as the 1-9 favourite, was reserved early, sitting fourth in the eight-horse field as 5-1 second choice Easy Down Blonde and Ake Svanstedt took the field past the quarter in :28.1.
Driver Todd McCarthy moved Wrong Sounds Right off the rail just after the half, which Easy Down Blonde reached in :56.4, and made his way after the leader. The eventual winner was getting close to Easy Down Blonde at three-quarters (1:26.1), before collaring that foe as the field straightened up in the stretch. Wrong Sounds Right then went on to an easy 3-1/4-length win in 1:53.1. Jazzy Blues, driven by Brett Beckwith, rallied for second with Easy Down Blonde holding third.
“He was really good tonight. Off the turn, I wanted to come easy with him. He gave me a really good kick,” said McCarthy. “Jim’s done a good job managing this horse. I hope he has a big year. He trotted a good mile in his last start [when second in the New Jersey Sire Stakes Platinum final]. He's got a great attitude. It's a good group of people to be working with.”
Wrong Sounds Right, a homebred colt by Tactical Landing out of Broadway Jo Ell who is owned by New Jersey's Runthetable Stables, has now won three of five lifetime outings, good for earnings of $155,054. He paid $2.20 to win.
There were two $69,444 divisions of the Garden State for two-year-old filly trotters contested on the program.
Special Orchid (Walner-Special Honor) broke her maiden in 1:55.4, winning her fifth career start with Mark Herschberger driving for trainer Tony Alagna and owners Joseph Giaramita of Brooklyn, New York and Alagna Racing of Howell, New Jersey. The win payout was $66.20 with Special Orchid the 32-1 longest shot on the board. Olbia (Mattias Melander) finished one length back in second and the tempo-setting favourite Pure Luxury (Jonathan Ahle) was third.
Rio De Janeiro (Walner-Devilish Delight) lowered her lifetime mark to 1:54.1 winning by four lengths over Delcan Shea (Beckwith) and favourite Grandiflora (Todd McCarthy). Joe Bongiorno picked up the live catch-drive for trainer Nancy Takter, who co-owns the filly with Joe Sbrocco And Jaf Racing of Staten Island, New York, John Fielding of Scarborough, Ont., and Herb Liverman of Miami Beach, Florida. Winning for the second time in five lifetime starts, she paid $7.20 as the 5-2 second choice.
The program also included a pair of $13,889 New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund events for three-year-olds on the trot and those emerging victorious were the Andrew Harris-trained filly Grand Prix Deo (Muscle Hill-Grand Stand) in a career-best 1:52.1 with Bongiorno driving the 36-1 longshot, and the Scott DiDomenico-trained colt Captain Jordan (Captain Corey-Jordan Blue Chip) in 1:54.2 with Beckwith in the bike.
After 36-1 Grand Prix Deo won the second race and a 32-1 Special Orchid won the fourth, there were no winning tickets sold on the 20-cent Pick-5, creating a carryover of $27,713 for Saturday’s card. The pool is estimated to be $100,000. The Pick-5 is offered on races one through five and free past performances for all Meadowlands races are available by going to playmeadowlands.com. Those with four correct selections on Friday cashed in for $156.78.
Bongiorno was the leading driver on the night with four winner’s circle visits.
Melissa Keith called the races and had herself a good night picking winners. She had four on top, one short-priced favourite and three others that paid $13.80, $17.80 and $12.20, respectively.
All-source handle on the 13-race program totalled $1,922,441 USD.
Racing resumes on Saturday at 6:20 p.m.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)