EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Stellar Yankee has been waiting for the right trip after starting the season without a win in four tries, and that trip came during Saturday night’s trotting race at The Meadowlands, a high-end $19,000 claim pace for horses with a price tag of no less than $40,000 and no more than $60,000.
The 8 year old son of Always B Miki-Somethinginawater had something different for him. Regular driver Jordan Stratton was back on the bike behind the gelding, who is trained by Jordan’s brother Cory.
“I was kind of used to not racing for a month and a half,” Jordan said of his well-deserved time off, “but I was happy to come back tonight.”
So did his supporters, who collected $19.60 to win for the 8-1 third choice in the betting.
The action was hot from the start and Jordan was happy to be in the three hole of the early clash between Typhoon Banner N, who led while parked at the quarter in :26.2, before Sun Of A Show made a second move to the top and sprinted past the half in a dazzling :53.2 as Boston Bound pushed the pace setter from the first over.
Stellar Yankee now made his way into contention, left the rail and moved into striking position second.
Boston Bound determinedly clawed their way into the lead at three-quarters in 1:21.1, while Stellar Yankee jumped from the cover and raced down the stretch with a clear path. It took him until the sixteenth pole to get past the stubborn Boston Bound, but Stellar Yankee took the top and held on to take a neck win in a lifetime best of 1:49.3, an impressive feat for a horse that made his 195.e your lifetime starts with a bankroll of over $447,000.
STELLAR YANKEE REPEAT
Soho Santorini A, the winner of this event a week ago, unapologetically finished second as 6-5 favorites after a live tow from the eventual winner. Caviart Lotus showed good late energy from third place to take third.
“I just wanted to be on pace,” said Jordan, who last rode ‘Yankee’ on December 6, a half-dozen rides ago. “When that horse (Boston Bound) was parked, we took advantage. But I was definitely nervous (in deep suspense) because any horse could have won it. I was lucky to stumble with the hot fractions.”
TRANSFER REPORT: The $1 PK 8 remained untouched for the third time in a row, leaving a carryover of $61,232 for when racing resumes. The winner’s odds for the series were 2-1, 20-1, 3-5, 4-1, 8-1, 5-2, 3-1 and 12-1. Those with six correct points collected $448.20.
A double Pick-6 transfer of $11,632 from 20 cents saw players put $43,490 in “new money” into the pool, and after a series in which the odds for the winner were 5-2, 3-1, 12-1, 1-1, 9-5 and 6-1, three winning tickets were exchanged for $16,199.74.
A LITTLE MORE: Braxten Boyd and Brett Beckwith tied for the most wins on the card with three. … Geovany Hernandez led the trainers with a pair of victories after completing the late double, which earned $46.00 … The total purse for the 14-race program totaled $2,788,640. … Racing resumes Friday at 6 p.m
For full race results, click here: American trotting results
by Dave Little, for The Meadowlands
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