EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Custom and Jim Beam were a pair of bright race winners Saturday night as four New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund finals for 2-year-olds took place atop the marquee at The Meadowlands.
In a case of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” driver Johnathan Ahle, who guided Custom to a quick victory in her only NJSDF preliminary round two weeks ago, came back and gave the daughter of Walter-Goldy Mary Fr, a similar helmsman in the $60,000 division for trotting fillies.
And he got a similar result.
Custom was treated patiently from the start and finished in fourth place, while Wishuponastar Deo and Madam Cheval stormed the field after the quarter in :28.1 and the half in :56.3 respectively.
Ahle activated Custom just after the five-eighths, and the Per Engblom trainee responded with the speed of a sprinter to draw level with Ms Cheval at three-quarters, who was timed in 1:25.1.
Custom was now in high gear, opening up a 2½-length edge at the start of the stretch before continuing with a 4½-length jog around the park in a lifetime best of 1:53.2. Wishuponastar Deo came second and Julie Palema third.
“She’s pretty green,” Ahle said. “Last week she liked to race at a slower pace, so we continued with that this week. I think she can be a little on the warm side, so being quiet early is a good thing to do. She did it very easily. She was very good.”
As the 4-5 favorite in the field of seven, Custom returned $3.80 to its backers. It was her third victory in eight career attempts.
CUSTOM REPEAT
A good bourbon goes smoothly, and Jim Beam fans no doubt celebrated at the end of the $60,000 split for trotting colts and geldings.
Fans of intern Scott DiDomenico may have yelled at the bartender to “Make that a double,” as the son of Captain Corey-Melania paid off at 12-1 odds, despite being sent to the gate 2-1 in an NJSDF preliminary round just two weeks ago.
Driver Tim Tetrick held off Jim Beam from the early action as he sat fifth to the quarter and fourth to the half along the rail, while American Power led at those stations in :28 and :56.4, respectively.
Lindy Living, the even-money favorite, was first on the road at the five-eighths. Right behind him on the edge were Tetrick and Jim Beam, making a perfect trip, as American Power hit three-quarters in 1:26.2 with Lindy Living breathing down his neck.
‘Lindy’ took over at the start of the track, but Jim Beam tapped off his cover halfway through and continued to gradually move towards the leader until he got a head to the wire in a lifetime best 1:54.3. Who’s Eyes Blues came third.
JIM BEAM REPEAT
“Sometimes he gets a little hot,” Tetrick said. “Today he was calm and relaxed. I know he has a lot of talent and today he showed some of that. I just tried to get my horse to trip and I had the right horse for me. I got the trip I wanted and my horse did his job.”
As the fifth pick in the field of seven, Jim Beam returned $27.80. He has now won three times in 14 attempts.
In the final NJSDF dash of the night, the $60,000 filly pace, Car Keys got a patient steer from Dexter Dunn to take the brass ring at the wire in 1:52.4 to record her first-ever win in nine attempts.
Car Keys flew early from post six in the nine-horse field and moved into the quarter lead in :27.3 while parking primary foe Whoa Black Betty, who was looking for a three-race win at the event.
Whoa Black Betty, the slight 6-5 second choice, continued her march to the top, moving into the lead at the three-eighths before reaching the halfway mark in :56.1.
Wave Dancer now made her presence felt, gathering from far back as she crossed first, and found herself just behind ‘Betty’ as she reached three-quarters in 1:25.2. Wave Dancer continued to grind away and actually had a slight lead in the middle of the stretch, and with just over a sixteenth of a mile to go, Dunn and Car Keys found enough space along the rail to sprint to the wire and take a three-and-a-half length lead over Whoa Black Betty, who came back determined to take second. Ladysassin defeated Wave Dancer in the race for the show dough.
“She was really good tonight,” Dunn said. “She shot through [the inside] Great. I think she needs to fill out and she will get a little stronger.
Car Keys is a Chris Ryder grad who was sent to the gate as the small 6-5 public choice. The daughter of Always B Miki-Road Bet paid $4.60 to win.
EARLY DEVELOPMENT: The $48,000 NJSDF Dash for Stallion and Gelding Pacers was contested as a no-stakes event before the betting card, and was won by Azrael Blue Chip in 1:51, a lifetime record for the Besim Odza trainee, who now has six wins from eight lifetime starts. Andy McCarthy led the son of Perfect-Sting-Bathsheba to his fifth consecutive score, simply holding off Mighty Matt with a long nose at the wire.
A LITTLE MORE: Dunn led the driver colony with three wins on the night, while Engblom’s double followed the trainers. … An ultra-competitive card appealed to bettors as a total of $2,953,417 was pushed through the windows in the 14-race schedule. … There is no racing next Thursday (Nov. 27) on Thanksgiving Day, so live action resumes on Friday (Nov. 28) at 6:20 p.m.
For full race results, click here: American trotting results
Through Dave Kleinfor The Meadowlands
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