The Friday night-before-Hambletonian card at The Meadowlands featured three-year-old colt and gelding trotters in two $50,000 divisions of the Townsend Ackerman.
Dayson raised his seasonal record to six wins in nine starts, scoring from post 10 as the second choice for trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras. The gelded son of Conway Hall made the lead at the half and sailed under the wire an easy four-length winner in a lifetime-best 1:51.2, paying $7 to win. Cufflink Hanover, the 6-5 favourite, raced well, but was a non-threatening second.
Taco Tuesday got a superb steer from Scott Zeron to record an upset win in the other division. After tipping off cover from a perfect second-over trip, the Frank Antonacci trainee rallied on the outside to nail 7-5 favourite Hititoutofthepark by a neck in a lifetime-best 1:53.1, paying $21.60 as the fourth choice in the wagering.
DUENNA DUO: The Meadowlands also hosted a pair of $30,000 Duenna divisions for the fillies. The Jimmy Takter-trained Miss Tezsla and driver Brett Miller prevailed by a neck over Gin And Lindy, who rallied off her cover, to take a new lifetime mark of 1:54.2 in the first division, returning $10.20 to win as the third betting choice in a field of 11.
Synonymous Hanover closed from second over for a mild 8-1 upset in the second split in rein to Eric Goodell. The Chris Oakes trainee was victorious in a career-best clocking of 1:53.2 by one length over Southwind Pearl. She returned $18.60 to her backers at the betting windows.
SWEEP-STEDT: Trainer Ake Svanstedt took both divisions of the races for Hambletonian Amateur Drivers. Blue Muse ($2.80 to win, 1:54.4) was driven by Svanstedt’s wife, Sarah, while Peter Arnqvist, one of the top amateur drivers in Sweden, made his Big M debut a winning one with Sky Hanover ($15.60, 1:54).
HAMBO TV: The 91st Hambletonian will be televised live Saturday on the CBS Sports Network. The 90-minute program, hosted by Gary Seibel, co-hosted by Dave Brower with interviews being conducted by Justin Horowitz, begins at 4 p.m. with the Hambletonian post time scheduled for 5:15 p.m. First-race post time on Hambletonian Day is noon.
A LITTLE MORE: All-source wagering on the Friday card totalled $2,563,177.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)