EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Sonofanutcracker benefited from expert guidance from a harness racing driver with enough on his resume to hit the $14,500 high conditioned pace Saturday night at The Meadowlands.
56-year-old veteran pilot Daniel Dube recorded his 10,000e career victory Friday night at Yonkers Raceway with Crown Monarch, increasing that total to 10,001 after leading the Tom Cancelliere trainee to victory lane in a lifetime-best 1:51. It was the first time that Dube and Sonofanutcracker worked together.
Big Ego was quickly away from post eight in the 10-horse field and put some pace on the race, reaching the quarter in :26.2 and the half in :53.3. Dube moved Sonofanutcracker (post one) out of the three-hole after the half and went after the leader who raced uncovered on the edge, past that tiring foe as he reached three-quarters in 1:23.
The eventual winner now had 4 momentum before the stretch drive, so late rallies from Corvette Stingray and Bookie J, who finished second and third respectively, fell short as Sonofanutcracker recorded his third victory from just six starts by 1½ lengths.
SONOPHANUT CRACKER REPEAT
“They went pretty fast,” Dube said. “After that: 53[3] half, I came to them and he swelled and won easily. For a 2 year old, [1]:51 is very good. [Through the stretch] When I asked him to do the work, he did it and it was perfect.”
The 2-year-old son of Nutcracker Sweet-Rob Them Blind is owned by John Cancelliere. The New Jersey Sire Stakes champion now has lifetime earnings of just over $141,000, and as even-money favorite he has returned $4 to his backers.
DOUBLE TRANSFER: A transfer of $3,813 motivated players to pump $11,472 of “new money” into the 20-cent Pick-6 pot, but after a run without winning favorites, no winning tickets were sold again, creating a double transfer of $11,126 for Friday night’s card.
Those who had four correct Saturday nights earned $270.88.
A LITTLE MORE: Braxten Boyd led the driver colony with three winners on the card. … There were a few smiling faces at the end of the 50-cent Late Pick-4, as after a series in which the winners started at odds of 11-1, 5-1, 19-1 and 10-1, the payout was a glamorous $24,334.35. … 23-year-old Western Australian native Kyle Symington guided his first-ever winner in North America when he clicked with Stay Grounded ($14.40 to win) in the 14e race for trainer Noel Daley. … All sources for the 15-race program totaled $2,422,415. … Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m
For full race results, click here: American trotting results
Through Dave Kleinfor The Meadowlands
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