One Big M bettor hits $70,980 Pick 6

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – A big carryover led to big play which led to a big payout in the 20-cent Pick-6 Friday night at The Meadowlands.

A carryover of $15,667 motivated harness racing bettors to pump just over $65,000 of “new money” into play to bring the total pool to $80,742. Because of the low 15 percent takeout – which only applied to the new money – winning tickets would get a return of 109 percent, a “negative takeout”.

After a sequence saw winner’s odds of 3-5, 6-5, 8-1, 22-1, 30-1 and 5-1, one ticket was exchanged for a whopping $70,980.10.

The keys to the sequence were legs four and five, when driver Bradley Chisholm guided B Like Cruiser ($46.40 to win) to victory in the 11^th race before Leon Bailey scored with Moni’s Heaven Cent ($63.60) in the 12^th.

The 20-cent Pick-5 provided another potent payoff, as two winning tickets were worth $17,227.74. The sequence saw winner’s odds of 2-1, 5-1, 10-1, 49-1 and 3-1. The key came in the fourth race, when Justin Irvine kept Chuck, who had gone off stride in each of his two 2024 starts, on gait and won, paying $100.40.

‘APACHE’ AND AHLE SCORE: Keystone Apache (Explosive Matter) worked out an ideal trip on the way to pulling off an 8-1 surprise in the featured $11,000 conditioned trot.

The Frank Calcagni trainee picked up cover from You Got It before the half and did not tip off that tow until there was just over an eighth-of-a-mile to go. The 9-year-old gelding then closed well while bearing out, hitting the wire a safe half-length winner in 1:54.1. Reckless Reviver, the 2-1 favorite, closed well along the inside for second, while You Got it finished third in a brave performance.

“He dropped in class and seemed to be in good form,” said winning driver Johnathan Ahle. “The trip worked out. He came home with a lot of trot.”