Racing resumes at The Meadowlands on Friday evening (February 12) with 14 pari-mutuel puzzlers on the menu beginning at 6:35 p.m.
Optimism is high that the wagering can continue the current streak of four consecutive cards with all-sources handle on the live racing eclipsing the $3 million mark for the first time in a dozen years.
The various components that encourage play are again in place with twenty-three of the weekend’s twenty-eight races filling to the limit of ten and the enticing combination of low take-out and guaranteed pools on the horizontal wagers offering value.
The recent racing has been contentious, competitive and exciting each night with an intriguing blend in the drivers colony of fresh, young faces intent on making their mark and the solid core of Meadowlands regulars representing the very best in the game.
The feature race on Friday is a $20,000 conditioned event for pacing mares comprised of eight well-matched distaff veterans in quest of the winner’s share. Making her 2016 debut is the accomplished Fashion Farms homebred Gallie Bythe Beach. The multiple stakes winning daughter of Somebeachsomewhere has earned over $675,000 in her career and was a good second in the TVG Free For All Championship last November. She has been trained throughout her career by Jim Campbell and the red-hot Tim Tetrick has the drive on Friday. Tetrick was in the sulky for her 2016 qualifying debut last Saturday.
The competition is led by Inittowinafortune, back from a two week stint at Yonkers to the scene of her greatest successes, Clear View Hanover who has won her last two at the Big M and Girllookatthatbody who has made a successful transition to the metropolitan scene since arriving from Michigan.
Handicapping help is available via each night’s Race Reviews compiled with care by James Witherite. These reviews offer keen observations to supplement your own. Free program pages for the Late Pick 4 are available courtesy of Trackmaster.
(with files from The Meadowlands)