FOR ONCE INMY LIFE DOMINANT AT BIG M

Sunday, January 19, 2025

In a performance that can accurately be described as “powerhouse”, For Once Inmy Life shrugged off an outside post – as well as a tough trip – on the way to taking the Saturday night feature at The Meadowlands, a $17,500 high-end conditioned pace, in a sparkling 1:50.3.

“He has a heart of gold and is a pleasure to drive,” said winning pilot Jordan Stratton. “He’s put every foot forward in the right spot and hasn’t shown me any bad signs.”

In what was supposed to be a slugfest between the eventual winner and Heza Charttopper A, For Once Inmy Life recorded a knockout in this heavyweight battle.

Venturesome Arden N and Stella Yankee left the gate quickly and were involved in a turn-one scrum with Heza Charttopper A for early supremacy. After having to race five-wide into that bend, For Once Inmy Life – who left from post nine in the nine-horse field – had to stay in the flow, waiting for Heza Charttoper A to clear at the three-eighths before taking the point away from the 2-1 second choice, reaching the half in :55.4 after having a rough time getting there.

And yet, there was never a doubt who the winner would be from there.

Stratton was permitted to rate the third fraction back to :28.4, and after three-quarters was timed in 1:24.3, For Once Inmy Life sped clear of Heza Charttopper A, hitting the finish an explosive 4¾-lengths to the good after a final-quarter sprint in :26. Venturesome Arden N finished third.

“That third quarter was pretty soft,” said Stratton. “I kind of over-drove him last week [when second to Brue Hanover]. Today, he was nice and relaxed and sprinted home.”

Trained by Jordan’s brother, Cory, For Once Inmy Life returned $3.40 to win as the 3-5 favorite. The 5-year-old gelded son of Downbytheseaside-Flyme To The Moon now has nine wins in 44 career tries, good for earnings of $354,890 for owners Winters Racing Stable.

IT TOOK 49 YEARS: Something happened at The Meadowlands that had never happened before, quite remarkable when you consider The Big M opened for business in 1976.

In the second race, Stone Cold Savage ($5.40 to win), Woodrow F Call ($4.40) and Spirit Of Truth ($42.60) hit the wire together in 1:54 in the TrackMaster 74.5 for pacers, and when the judges could not separate the trio, the result was the first triple dead heat for win in Meadowlands history.

It was nearly a quadruple dead heat as a fast-closing Urban Renewal finished just 21/100ths of a second behind the three winners.

A LITTLE MORE: A rare 10-cent Hi-5 (or, Pentafecta, if you prefer) carryover of $12,939 led to players plunging $78,176 of “new money” into the pool for the 14^th and final race of the night for a total pot of $91,115. It’s In The Stars, the 6-5 favorite, topped the winning combination of 5-2-7-1-9, which returned $180.81. … Mark Herschberger and Johnathan Ahle led the driver colony with three wins apiece. … Maria Reid and Jeff Cullipher paced the conditioners as each recorded a training double. … All-source handle totaled $2,978,919. … Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m.

PHOTO1: For Once Inmy Life and driver Jordan Stratton won the Saturday night feature at The Meadowlands. (Credit: Lisa Photo)