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Andy McCarthy was on fire at The Meadowlands Friday night, guiding four winners on the card, including Machnhope to a second consecutive win in the weekly $30,000 pacing feature for fillies and mares.
One week after scoring as the fifth choice in the betting in the Winners Over/Preferred Handicap, the wagering public sent Machnhope, a Noel Daley trainee, to the gate as the second choice this time around, and once again she brought her “A” game.
Away quickly from post seven in the seven-horse field, the 6-year-old daughter of Mach Three-Hope For Life was intent on making the front in search of a second straight speed score, and hit the quarter in a quick :26.1. McCarthy was able to rate the second fraction in :28.4, which left enough in the tank for later on.
Trainer Marcus Melander unveiled a contender for the Aug. 7 Hambletonian Oaks at The Meadowlands Friday night, as his Imhatra AM S worked out a perfect pocket trip with Brian Sears doing the driving on the way to winning her three-year-old debut in 1:56.3.
Owned by Courant Inc, the daughter of 2009 Hambletonian champion Muscle Hill (who was handled by Sears) is out of the dam Tamla Celeber S, a million-dollar earner who won a Breeders Crown in 2012 when driven by Sears.
Hambletonian eligible Swan Hill, a three-year-old colt by Muscle Hill-Swan Wise AS who is also from Melander’s barn, set sail for the lead in the three-year-old trotting event for non-winners of one and cut out fractions of :28.4, :58.3 and 1:28 before being overtaken in deep stretch along the pylons by his stablemate to finish three-quarters-of-a-length back in second. Perfect Record was third.
It was one for the chalk players and one for those who like bombs in the two $17,500 Play Meadowlands Series Finals at The Meadowlands Friday night.
In the division for pacing fillies and mares, Its Mesmerise N completed a two-race sweep of the event for trainer Darran Cassar and driver Scott Zeron.
Sent to the gate as the 1-5 public choice for a second straight start despite facing a tougher field this time around, Zeron had the seven-year-old daughter of American Ideal-Cullens Charm in the three-hole early before brushing to the top at the half, which was clocked in a quick :54.2.
Todd McCarthy
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - One sharp player cashed in big - thanks to harness racing driver Todd McCarthy - just in time for Christmas at The Meadowlands Friday night by hitting the 20-cent Pick-5. He or she walked away with $43,916.06.
A pair of heavy favorites who were likely singled on many tickets - Best Honey Hanover (2-5 in the first race) and Walks Of Life (3-5 in the third) - went down to defeat, setting the stage for the big payday for the winner, who was betting into the Oregon hub.
McCarthy, second in the Big M driver standings at the Fall Meet with 37 wins entering the night, scored with 23-1 shot Genessee Seelster in race three and then came right back in the fourth with 13-1 chance Peppermint Mocha. The odds of the winners for the sequence were 9-2, 4-5, 23-1, 13-1 and 5-1.