Winner’s Bet stays hot at Big M

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The way Winner’s Bet (Walner) is going right now, beating him is no easy task, and the Nancy Takter harness racing trainee once again was dominant – this time in the Saturday night featured $40,000 Preferred Handicap at The Meadowlands – just three weeks after taking home the Breeders Crown for older male trotters.

The leader in the race for divisional honors has picked right now to be at his very best, as his win Saturday was preceded by victories in the Crown, a Red Mile overnight, the Caesars at Hoosier Park and Scioto Downs’ Hill Memorial.

His attempt at a sixth straight score will come in the final start of the 4-year-old product of Walner-Side Bet Hanover’s career in two weeks in the FanDuel Championships Open Trot at The Big M, which goes for an estimated purse of $350,000. After that, he’ll be off to start his new career as a stud at New York’s Blue Chip Farms.

Takter is no doubt feeling good about her horse’s chances. “I think he races a little better with some time off,” said The Big M’s top conditioner during the Winter-Spring-Championship Meet. “Two weeks between starts is ideal for him.”

Winner’s Bet was away well from post four in the seven-horse field Saturday as 7-2 second choice Periculum got caught three-wide around the first turn before taking the top away from early leader Oh Well, who led at the quarter in :27.1.

The eventual winner was now uncovered and rushed up to take a brief lead between calls before Periculum, who missed a nose in the Breeders Crown to Winner’s Bet, took the lead, going past the half in :55 and three-quarters in 1:23.

WINNER’S BET REPLAY

Working out a perfect pocket trip suited Winner’s Bet just fine, as he roared out of the two-hole late in the far turn, drew alongside Periculum as they straightened away, and then powered clear to a dominant 3¾-length win in 1:50.4. Oh Well finished second with Hillexotic a fast-closing third.

“There was a bit of speed there but he makes my job easy,” said winning driver Dexter Dunn. “You can do whatever you want with him. I was happy to sit off a helmet with him. He’s feeling good. An inside post [in the FanDuel] always helps, but he’s so good right now, we’ll be confident no matter what.”

In upping his seasonal stats to nine wins from just 12 starts, Winner’s Bet recorded his 15^th win from 32 lifetime starts, good for earnings of $1,327,221 for owners Lindy Farms of Connecticut and Robert A. Rudolph. As the 4-5 public choice, he returned $3.80 to win.

2YOs IN ACTION: A total of five divisions of the Home Grown and Garden State for 2-year-olds were contested both before (non-wagering) and during the betting card. Those winners were:

• $50,000 Garden State colt and gelding trot (1^st division) – Herecomesdajudge (Muscle Hill-Designed To Be), driven by Andy Miller, trained by Julie Miller, winning time a lifetime-best-equaling 1:54.3, non-wagering
• $40,000 Home Grown filly pace – Shes A Streaker (Huntsville-Mikayla Rose), Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke, first lifetime win in 1:52, non-wagering
• $50,000 Garden State colt and gelding trot (2^nd division) – Tactical Dynasty (Tactical Landing-Dynasty), Gingras, Burke, 1:54.4, returned $9 as the 7-2 third choice
• $48,000 Home Grown colt and gelding pace – Manolete (Cattlewash-Glancewithme), Scott Zeron, Bruce Saunders, lifetime-best 1:50.4, $7.20 as the 5-2 second choice
• $70,000 Garden State filly trot – Spicy Nice (Tactical Landing-Maven), Gingras, Takter, 1:54, $5.80 as the 9-5 favorite

A LITTLE MORE: Gingras had the hot hands on the night, guiding the winner of one of the two non-betting events before piloting four more on the betting card. … Burke, Takter and Joe Bongiorno led the trainers with two walks down victory lane apiece. … All-source handle on the 14-race card totaled $2,715,728. … Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m.

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

by Dave Little, for The Meadowlands