A determined Ab’sattitudexpress held off Sorella, Canada’s 2020 female three-year-old harness racing trotter of the year, to take the second of two $30,000 divisions of the Miss Versatility Series first leg on Saturday night at The Meadowlands.
Tim Tetrick gave Ab’sattitudexpress her marching orders from post six, and they reached the front at the quarter in :27.3. The four-year-old mare continued on to hit the half in :56.2 and three-quarters in 1:24.4. Sorella (Yannick Gingras) loomed in the pocket turning for home and angled out as the two entered the straight.
Sorella chipped away at the leader’s advantage in the stretch and found another gear in the final yards, but Ab’sattitudexpress was a nose too good and found the line in time for a 1:52.3 victory. Sorella settled for second, and Miss McKee (Mark Macdonald) was third in the seven-mare field. The winner paid $3.40.
AB’SATTITUDEXPRESS REPLAY
Ab’sattitudexpress has won nine of her 18 career starts, and she surpassed the $300,000 mark in career earnings with Saturday’s win. Lucas Wallin oversees the homebred four-year-old Trixton mare for owner Stop The Jade Farm LLC of Pemberton.
Next Level Stuff shone in a star-studded first division field of seven and gave Tetrick the stakes double.
The mare dropped in fourth leaving the gate and Tetrick was content with that spot though the opening splits of :27.4 and :56.3. Tetrick fished out the cover of When Dovescry (Dave Miller) at five-eights and assumed second-over position before completing three quarters in 1:24.4.
When Dovescry had no trouble dispatching the leader, but her problem arose when Next Level Stuff barreled up in the final 1/16th. Next Level Stuff was brimming with trot and rolled past When Dovescry for a 1:52.2 score. The latter was second, and Felitiyshagwell S (Ake Svanstedt) battled for show.
NEXT LEVEL STUFF REPLAY
Next Level Stuff is a four-year-old Sebastian K mare with 14 wins and more than $665,000 in bankroll across 24 career tries. Jim Campbell trains her for owner/breeder Runthetable Stables of Montvale. The horse paid $3.40 to win.
The Big M also hosted a $30,000 Preferred Handicap in which Wheels On Fire caught a spark late and shot past the leader to prevail in a mild upset.
Wheels On Fire grabbed front-end control from the five-hole going into the first turn for driver Yannick Gingras but was soon relegated to the pocket as Nicholas Beach (Joe Bongiorno) drove on to the lead. The latter maintained the top spot through :26:4, :54.2, and 1:21.3 splits and attempted to kick away as the field of 10 angled for the lane.
Nicholas Beach was flat out in the final eighth, but Wheels On Fire pulled out mid-stretch with a surplus of pace and bore down on him. Nicholas Beach laboured late and surrendered several yards short of the wire to Wheels On Fire, who won by half a length in 1:48.1.
Nicholas Beach was second, and Angers Bayama (Andrew McCarthy) easily took show. A correct $2 win ticket returned $17.40.
WHEELS ON FIRE REPLAY
Wheels On Fire is now 26-for-75 lifetime with more than $450,000 in earnings. Ron Burke conditions the six-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding for Brad Grant of Milton.
McCarthy was the most successful driver of the evening, piloting a quartet to victory lane: Abuckabett Hanover (1:49.1) in the first, Keep Rockin A (1:51.1) four races later, American History in 1:48, the quickest mile on the card, and Western Redhot (1:53.3) in the getaway pace.
The second leg of the Miss Versatility is set for Saturday, May 29. The Meadowlands will return on Friday, May 14 with a 6:20 p.m. EDT first post.
For full race results, click here.
by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink