A pair of $15,000 co-featured events quite literally serves as the centrepiece of a 12-dash live program at the Meadowlands Racetrack this Friday evening (March 25), and leading trainer Ron Burke will start a top contender in each.
In the sixth event, a top-level conditioned pace for fillies and mares, the Burke stable's 19-time winner Sayitall BB will once again battle with Clear View Hanover, as well as eight others. Sayitall BB rises off a pillar-to-post 1:51.2 victory in which she held clear of pocket rival Clear View Hanover via a sharp :27.2 closing split. Joe Bongiorno will once again handle the driving duties aboard the five-year-old Tell All mare, and they will start from Post 3 as the lukewarm 7-2 morning line favourite. Clear View Hanover – a winner at this level twice in her last five races – drew one position to her inside as the 9-2 second choice, and Hall of Fame driver David Miller will take the lines of the Henrik Lundell trainee.
The night's top distaff serves as the payoff leg of the Early Pick 4, which carries a $25,000 guaranteed pool.
Just 20 minutes later, the $50,000 Late Pick 4 commences in the seventh event, a top-level conditioned trot with no shortage of talent. Burke trainee Its Huw You Know enters the race off back-to-back wins, most recently making much of the pace in a 1:55.2 Pocono triumph. David Miller is slated to the eight-time winner from Post 6 as the 7-2 second choice.
Among those to square off against Its Huw You Know is B Yoyo (the 3-1 morning line favourite), who won at this level in mid-February before a pair of unsuccessful efforts in Open events. Bongiorno will drive the 17-time winner for trainer Richard Johnson from Post 4.
Of note, four of the other six in the featured trot enter the race off winning efforts, including Mr Lover (to be driven by Andy McCarthy from Post 1), Dreams of Thunder (John Campbell, PP3), Scorcher Hall (Marcus Miller, PP5), and Saratoga invader Newcastle (Brett Miller, PP7).
In addition to the two Pick 4s, the Pick 5 (composed of the first five races on the card) carries a $30,000 guaranteed pool. A pair of 20-cent Jackpot High 5 wagers in Race 5 and Race 12 boast carryovers of $9210 and $148,441, respectively. Fans on-track can enter to win a Florida vacation in Friday's Spring Break Sweepstakes, as well.
First-race post time for the Meadowlands’ Friday card is 7:15 p.m. (EDT).
(Meadowlands Racetrack)