Jimmy Takter kicked off his Hambletonian weekend with a victory as Whom Shall I Fear produced a dominant win Friday night in the $50,000 Townsend Ackerman Stakes at Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment.
It was the prelude to Saturday, a warm-up act for the biggest afternoon in harness racing anchored by the $1 million Hambletonian and the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks.
First post is noon on the fun-filled day that also features pony rides, face painters and live music. Paid admissions can take home a baseball cap for adults or a Foiled Again Breyer Stablemate for kids, while supplies last.
Takter has five entrants in the Hambletonian in the bid for a fourth training victory in the classic for three-year-old trotters.
The win by Whom Shall I Fear, a full brother to Takter star Father Patrick, could be an omen of good things to come on Saturday.
The victory was an encouraging effort by a colt who has failed to meet lofty expectations following a $475,000 purchase as a yearling by the Whom Shall I Fear Stable. The win in the Townsend Ackerman for Hambletonian eligible colts and geldings snapped a six-race losing streak.
Whom Shall I Fear took charge immediately with Yannick Gingras at the lines. He dictated the fractions in the lifetime-best 1:52.4 mile as the 7-10 favourite, beating Crescent Fashion by two and three-quarter lengths with Iron third. He paid $3.40 to win.
The evening also featured a pair of $30,000 divisions of the Duenna Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies. Both were also career-best victories.
Ontario invader Muscle Baby Doll was an easy winner of the first split in 1:52. She was not eligible to the Hambletonian Oaks, so this was her chance to strut her stuff here on trotting’s biggest weekend.
She is six-for-seven this year for trainer Tony O’Sullivan and Bellino & Sons. David Miller picked up his third driving win of the night.
Muscle Baby Doll took charge down the backstretch and drew off to a six and three-quarter length over Marion Millionair with Scented Roses third. Her Canadian reputation preceded her to the Big M as she paid only $2.80 to win.
It was much closer in the second division as Meadowbranch Wendy held off Lindy Land by a neck in 1:53.3. It ended a string of three straight hard-luck losses for the filly trained by Jenny Melander and owned by Hans Enggren.
Brett Miller guided her to a third win in 19 starts. She paid $21.40 for the upset victory.
Driven by Scott Zeron, Bedroomconfessions won the non-wagering $20,000 Shady Daisy Consolation for three-year-old pacing fillies in a career-best 1:50.2 by three lengths over fellow Tony Alagna trainee A Plus.
The win was the first this year in nine starts for the filly owned by Riverview Racing and Alagna Racing.
Entering the Friday racing program, there was a $29,460 carryover in the Pick 5, beginning with the first race. The bettors came out in force and despite four scratches there was $131,164 wagered into the sequence, bringing the total pool to $160,624. The sequence proved formful, returning $170.15 for a 50-cent ticket.
Hambletonian Day features a carryover of its own and one that will also sport a mandatory payout. The Jackpot Super Hi-5 in the 16th race, features a $231,000 carryover with just an eight percent takeout rate. The pool will pay out in it's entirety.
Hambletonian Day also features no less than five guaranteed pools, all with 50-cent minimums. The first race kicks off a $50,000 guaranteed Pick 5. Race three starts a $50,000 Pick 4. Race three begins a $75,000 Pick 5 while races nine and 13 kick off $100,000 guaranteed Pick 4 wagers. All five guaranteed pools include a takeout rate of just 15 percent.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)