Eliminations for the pair of signature freshman races at the Meadowlands, the Peter Haughton and Jim Doherty Memorials, were contested on Friday night at the Big M and Jimmy Takter was the human star.
The Hall of Famer sent out both elimination winners in the Haughton with You Know You Do (1:56.1) and Samo Different Day (1:54.2). He drove the latter, who scored as a 21-1 longshot. Takter's four other colts all qualified for next Saturday's final, giving him a six-pack in the Hambletonian Day fixture.
In the Doherty, Trond Smedshammer's Phaetosive followed behind as S M S Princess rolled through suicidal fractions of :27.3 and :54.4. As that one folded through three-quarters of a mile in 1:24.3, Phaetosive got rolling and drew away to win with ease in 1:53.1.
In the second elimination, Takter's Manchego remained undefeated in four career starts with a facile win off a picture-perfect second-over trip in 1:55.2. Takter will send three fillies into next Saturday's final.
Nike Franco N backed up her powerful win in the Golden Girls two weeks ago with a lifetime-best mile of 1:48 to win the Fillies & Mares Preferred Handicap. She enters next Saturday's Lady Liberty in top form for trainer Jo Ann Looney-King and owner Richard Poillucci.
The biggest upset of the night was authored by Canadian invader Lookslikeachpndale who powered up first-over to win the $20,000 Preferred Trot in a lifetime-best 1:51.1. The Luc Blais trainee was winless in seven seasonal starts entering Friday night, but has shown a liking for the Big M surface in the past, finishing third at 24-1 in last year's TVG Free For All Final. He is being pointed to next Saturday's John Cashman Memorial on the Hambletonian undercard.
Earlier in the night, the fifth race jackpot super high 5 pool featured a mandatory payout. The jackpot stood at $35,864 and attracted $57,774 in new money, chasing the negative takeout scenario. Second choice Kings Cavalier and favourite Nono Lindy finished 1-2 with 80-1 longshot Jazebel De Vie finishing third. That helped trigger a 20-cent return of $2,832.40 to 30 winning tickets.
Total handle on the 11-race card was $2,121,251. Live racing continues Saturday with a 12-race program headlined by a pair of eliminations in the Hambletonian Oaks. Post time is 7:15 p.m.
For more information, visit www.playmeadowlands.com.
(Meadowlands)