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Jan 22, 2018

Favored Melady’s Monet (Jason Bartlett, $4.60) was just barely good enough Sunday morning (Jan. 21^th), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $50,000 Open Handicap Trot.

The field of seven (down from nine after a couple of defections) went as the opener and the first of seven ‘French’ trots.

His eight-hole now a six-hole after those scratches, Melady’s Monet made the first lead, unimpeded by a breaking Tight Lines (Jeff Gregory). ‘Melady’ found a :29.4 opening quarter-mile before briefly giving it up to Super Manning (Jordan Stratton),

The fave wanted no part of the pocket, so he retook prior to the :59.1 half.  Cash Me Out (Eric Goodell) then moved from fifth, just about getting even with Melady’s Monet by the 1:30.1 three-quarters. Disposing of that rival around the 1:58.4 milepost, Melady’s Monet opened a length-and-three quarters into the lane, and needed all out it.

A ground-saving Moneycounts De Vie (Matt Kakaley) found room up the cones, surged, but the 18-1 rank outsider missed a nose. Melady’s Monet found paydirt in time, getting the mile-and-a-quarter in 2:27.4.

Third went to Rock of Cashel (Brent Holland), with Dog Gone Lucky (catch-driver Dan Dube) and Cash Me Out settling for the remainder.

For Melady’s Monet, a 9-year-old Revenue S gelding owned by Melady Enterprises and trained by Kevin McDermott, it was his first win in a pair of seasonal starts. The exacta paid $43.20, with triple returning $229.50.

Sunday’s ‘New York, New York Double’ offered a winning combination of 5-Control Group...

Ed Allred’s He Looks Hot looked like a million bucks in his trial to the Grade 1, $157,250 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship as the Walk Thru Fire gelding led every step of the way in the 400-yard dash while posting the fastest qualifying time to the race on Sunday night.

Ridden by Cesar Gomez for trainer Scott Willoughby, the millionaire He Looks Hot rocketed out of the gate in the second of two Brad McKinzie trials and had a 1 ¼ length lead early on. He remained strong with every stride and crossed the wire an impressive 1 ½ lengths ahead of Mark and Peggy Brown’s Kissed By An Eagle. He Looks Hot, a 6-year-old gelding by Walk Thru Fire, covered the distance in :19.650 from the outside post eight, a clocking that was 3/1000ths of a second faster than opening trial winner LD Is Back.

The two trial winners will now headline a strong field of older horses that will return for the Brad McKinzie final to be held on Sunday, January 21. The Brad McKinzie is named in honor of the very influential Los Alamitos Race Course executive, who passed away in 2017.

In picking up his seventh win in 24 career starts, He Looks Hot earned $3,300 to take his career earnings to $1,101,539. The Allred-bred sprinter won the 2014 Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity and the 2016 Grade 1 Vessels Maturity. He won the Restricted Grade 1 Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship Handicap last year.

“He’s a fantastic horse and when he’s 100% there’s not many that can outrun him,” Willoughby said. “We have his foot back (healthy). He had a little abscess that we had been fighting for a while. He’s doing great now. Cesar did a great job on him and (groom) Juan Chavez, who takes care of He Looks Hot, has done a fantastic job with the horse. Everything is going very well for him. When he broke...

Please be advised that Western Fair has cancelled tonight (Monday) due to track conditions.

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Jan 22, 2018

With the groundhog’s weather report due in nine days, some of the Meadowlands’ most recognizable names will be seen popping up more in the program in the coming weeks as winter’s chill begins to slowly melt into spring.

First up is Yannick Gingras.

“The Green Hornet” won 395 times a year ago, ending his streak of 400 or more at eight, but things went well nonetheless. The 38-year-old was voted the 2017 Driver of the Year by the United States Harness Writers Association after leading the sport in money earned ($12.9 million) while guiding horses such as Hannelore Hanover, Ariana G and Manchego, all of whom are in the Horse of the Year conversation.

Gingras will be at the Big M this Friday (Jan. 26) and Saturday (Jan. 27), and will be seen on Fridays regularly from this point forward.

Tim Tetrick, who won his fifth Meadowlands Pace in 2017 with Huntsville, is getting ready for his return to the East Rutherford track.

The 36-year-old “Bionic Man” had another big year in 2017, as horses he drove earned at least $11 million for an 11^th consecutive year. His Meadowlands return is slated for Friday, Feb. 2, at which time he will drive regularly at the mile oval where he’s been so successful over the last decade.

Corey Callahan is coming to Friday nights at the Big M and his opponents can’t be too happy about that. The eight-time leading driver at Dover Downs has been a Saturday night terror at the Meadowlands of late, winning six races on Dec. 23, three on Dec. 30 and four more on Jan. 20.

The 39-year-old, known as “The Captain”, is as consistent as they come, having won at least 400 races and earned at least $5 million for 10 straight years. Callahan’s schedule calls for him to be...

Some insights into tonight’s racing program for our IdaBet players:

4^TH RACE – (4) E L DARTSMYBOY was pocketed through the fog when ‘peeked’ last out. Remains a bottom claimer and raced well enough to try again.

6^TH RACE – (4) MACH ONE won at this level first local try, then hooked a good one in latest. Mid-pack should get him leaving, but sees some talent to inside.

7^TH RACE – (2) ALRIGHT GUY is graduate of Hawkeye fairs who arrived here in October, promptly broke at odds-on. Seasonal debut with Lasix, so we try.

8^TH RACE – (7) D G’S ELSA whipped lesser in local debut, then up ladder with pocket second in quick mile. Draw stinks, but lass has shown enough to nod.

10^TH RACE – (6) THE WALL has won at this level last season for previous barn. Makes first ’18 try and worth a shot in one of nite’s more intriguing events.

11^TH RACE – (2) PHIL YOUR BOOTS gets out of gate as well as these and finds himself well-placed to do just that . Taken to take ‘em as far as he can here.

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$2 +/- (thru Tue., Jan. 16) – 12 wins ($157.20)

from 48 ($96) selex (+$61.20, stunning, just stunning)

highest-priced winner – MORE THAN MANY ($21.80)

lowest-priced winner – OZONE BLUE CHIP ($4.60)

BY FRANK DRUCKER,

Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

For our IdaBet players, here are the Monday Picks for Monticello. Happy Wagering!

1ST RACE: 4-1-2-5

2ND RACE: 2-4-1-6

3RD RACE: 3-1-2-5

4TH RACE: 5-1-7-6

5TH RACE: 4-7-5-3

6TH RACE: 1-7-2-4

7TH RACE: 2-1-3-4

8TH RACE: 4-2-6-3

9TH RACE: 1-3-5-8