‘Queen’ reigns at Big M

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Queen Of America S (Father Patrick-Red Rose America) had little trouble overcoming post nine on Friday night at The Meadowlands, as well as 2-1 second choice (and stablemate) Finite, in the harness racing feature, a $17,500 conditioned trot.

Sent to the gate as the 1-5 public choice, “The Queen” left alertly before taking a brief tuck around turn one, then followed Finite down the backside. Queen Of America S had the lead while parked at the half in :56.4.

After clearing, the 5-year-old then trotted past three-quarters in 1:25.1 before a final panel of :28.3 finished off an overwhelming 5¼-length romp in 1:53.4. Finite finished second with 143-1 shot Bright Expectation third. The top two finishers are trained by Ron Burke.

Queen Of America S paid $2.60 after winning for the second time since her arrival on American soil.

QUEEN OF AMERICA S REPLAY

“She’s a really nice mare,” said winning driver Yannick Gingras. “They just got her from Sweden. Ronnie was high on her. So far, so good. She’s delivered.

“I figured we could take the lead and take it from there. It was the move to make. I got away fairly close. The hope [is to take on the better trotters later in the year]. I think she’s going to keep improving. It was pretty easy on her tonight. It’s a big step to take to go to the higher levels, but I think she has the ability to do it.”

BIG PICK-5 POOL LOOMS: On a Friday night at The Meadowlands when five of the first seven races saw winner’s odds of at least 14-1, it came as no shock that there will be a nice-sized carryover for 20-cent Pick-5 fans when racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m.

The Pick-5 is offered on races one through five, and free past performances of every race of every Big M card are available by going to playmeadowlands.com.

Bombs went off in each of the first three dashes as 75-1 shot Heartlandbanysbro ($154.40 to win), 27-1 Rockinwiththebest ($57.40) and 14-1 Concur ($31) got the night underway. In fact, a carryover was already assured at the conclusion of the third race.

After 2-1 second choice Starlit Rambo ($6.20) took the fourth, another bomb exploded after 44-1 Second Bruiser ($90.20) won the fifth, which was the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Remembrance Race.

The carryover of $28,744 could entice bettors to wager as much as $100,000 of “new money” into the Saturday Pick-5 pot. Were that to happen, there would still be a “negative pool”, a scenario in which winning tickets would return more than what’s wagered. Carryovers are not subject to the already low takeout of 15 percent.

SAMPLE REIGNS IN KING: DeShawn Sample must have forgotten to check the tote board, because 44-1 shots aren’t supposed to win with the ease that Second Bruiser did in the fifth race. But Sample and “Bruiser” fired to the top and led at every call on the way to a 3-length romp in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Remembrance Race, an event that featured five African-American drivers.

Sample was elated at winning, and was pumped as an African-American to compete in a race that honors the greatest civil rights advocate in American history.

“My horse was strong,” said Sample. “It means a lot to compete in this race [honoring Dr. King]. I traveled from Delaware to be here. It means a lot to the black guys.”

SECOND BRUISER/DESHAWN SAMPLE REPLAY

A LITTLE MORE: Gingras had but four starts on the card, but made them count, as he led the driver colony with three victories. … All-source handle on the 14-race program totaled $2,573,639. … Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m.

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

by Dave Little, for The Meadowlands