Lexus Kody puts it together for Big M win

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Having gone off stride in each of his last three parimutuel starts (all at Hoosier Park), there were questions surrounding Lexus Kody (Archangel-Lexus Helios), the veteran speedball, who, despite his recent miscues, was sent to the gate as the 1-2 favorite in the Friday night harness racing feature at The Meadowlands, an $18,000 high-end conditioned event for trotters.

Those who were confident that the 6-year-old brown gelding would get his act back together got the answer they were looking for, as the Ron Burke trainee stayed flat for the entire mile on the way to an easy-as-pie 2¾-length stroll in the park with Mark Herschberger in the bike. Resolve To Win was second with Texsong Soprano third.

“This horse loves The Big M,” said Burke, as Lexus Kody recorded his fifth win of the season from seven Meadowlands starts. Earlier this year, Lexus Kody set a track record when he went 1:49.4 to become the fastest older gelding in Big M history.

In what was anything but a surprise, Lexus Kody was away quickly from post six in the eight-horse field and made the lead at the quarter while parked in :27. It was easy gravy from there as he reached the half in :54.4 and three-quarters in 1:23.1 before stopping the clock at the finish in 1:51.4.

LEXUS KODY REPLAY

Herschberger was both pleased and surprised when the races were drawn Tuesday.

“What a surprise it was [to see I was listed to drive the horse] and what a nice horse to drive,” said the 29-year-old pilot. “The plan was always to go to the front and stay there. I got like five or six pointers on the horse [before the race] but he was good in the post parade and in the race. [Once we turned for home] I was confident we could outsprint them to the wire.”

Lexus Kody paid $3 to win while recording his 25^th lifetime victory from 67 starts. He has accrued $583,082 in earnings for his owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and P. Collura.

IRVINE DOUBLES UP: Twenty-two-year-old driver Justin Irvine, a standout in his native Ohio, recorded his first-ever win at The Meadowlands after guiding 2-1 chance Keystone Apache to a 1:53.3 score in a mid-range conditioned event for trotters for trainer Frank Calcagni.

He enjoyed that win so much that he came back and won later on the card with the Bill Mac Kenzie-trained National Sport, another 2-1 shot, in a TrackMaster 71.5 pace in 1:54.2.

“I came here to get some experience and, hopefully, pick up some good drives, and Keystone Apache raced really well last week and I was happy to get the job done,” said Irvine, who is currently second in the Northfield Park driver standings behind perennial North American dash-leading driver Aaron Merriman.

A LITTLE MORE: The 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 continues to be a great play, as one smart player raked the pot, cashing in the lone winning ticket and collecting $6,410 despite a sequence that saw five horses win at odds no greater than 2-1 to go along with a pair of 7-1 shots. … Edwin Quevedo led the trainer colony with three winners on the program. … Irvine, Braxten Boyd and Johnathan Ahle led the drivers with two victories apiece. … Big M TV’s Jessica Otten treated her followers to both 50-cent Pick-4s. The first returned $90.45 and the second $271.85. … Dave Little chipped in with a pair of winners who went off at 7-1 plus his best bet, Ideal Cover, who returned $5.20 to his backers. … All-source handle on the 14-race card totaled $2,308,705. … Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Dave Little, for The Meadowlands