TAKE ALL COMERS FLAUNTS HIS CLASS IN BIG M FEATURE

Saturday, January 24, 2026

After cashing some big checks in the MGM Grand Prix Trotting Series at Yonkers Raceway last month, Take All Comers was clearly the one to beat in the Friday night feature at The Meadowlands, and the Jim Campbell trainee delivered as the 1-5 public choice in the $25,000 trot for winners-over $12,500 in their last five starts.

Take All Comers was away alertly from post five in the eight-horse field, and grabbed the point out of the first turn before yielding the lead to 5-2 second choice Resolve To Win, who stopped the clock at the quarter while parked in :27.4.

With the field’s two best horses racing 1-2, there wasn’t much action down the backside, as Resolve To Win strode past the half in :56.1 and three-quarters in 1:25.2.

Midway down the stretch, driver Colin Kelly, whose pair of five-victory nights last weekend ended Brett Beckwith’s six-week stranglehold as The Big M’s Driver of the Week winner, tipped Take All Comers out of the pocket, and the duo methodically made up ground on the leader before striding clear to a safe-as-could-be 1-length score in 1:54.1. Super Duper Cooper was explosive late to get second over Resolve To Win.

“It was an ideal trip for the horse off his qualifier [which he won in 1:54.4],” said Kelly. “He could have cut it [on the front end]. [This win] was well-deserved. This horse is a true gentleman. I never asked him, to be completely honest with you. I was pretty confident when he got loose. He has a lot of back class and knows what he’s doing.”

An 8-year-old gelded son of Creatine-Nantab, Take All Comers, who now has 25 wins from 81 lifetime tries, upped his gaudy bank account to $1,234,801 for owners Runthetable Stables. He paid $2.60 to win.

MEADOW’S SIX-PACK: Meadow Twaddle, the 23-year-old co-host of the podcast “Hot 2 Trot”, was back on the Sam McKee Memorial Set Friday night, and was once again picking winners.

Twaddle finished the night with six on top, including best bet Rock On Line ($6 to win in the second race), EA Mushu ($7.40 in the 11^th) and Leave And Roll ($7.20 in the 12^th).

Her on-set partner, Big M TV veteran Dave Little, gave out five on top, and treated his followers to the early Pick-4, where they cashed in for $130 if they played Little’s $1 base-bet ticket.

AN EARLY START: In an effort to get everyone home earlier than usual with the expected snowstorm on the way early Sunday morning, Saturday’s race card will have a first-race post time of 6 p.m. The Big M simulcast pregame show will kick off at 5:35 p.m. with Twaddle being joined by Debbie Little, who will serve as the on-set host. Debbie is the associate editor and columnist for Harness Racing Update.

NO SUNDAY RACING: Because of the expected inclement weather, Sunday’s race card has been canceled. Simulcasting and wagering at the FanDuel Sportsbook are expected to be available, but check The Big M website, playmeadowlands.com, before heading out.

A LITTLE MORE: A carryover of $4,271 enticed players to pump $16,737 of “new money” into the 20-cent Pick-6 pool, and after a sequence where winner’s odds were 4-5, 4-1, 1-5, 5-2, 5-2 and 12-1, winning tickets were exchanged for $1,903.10. … The rivalry between Beckwith and Kelly picked up right where it left off last week, as both pilots recorded three wins on the card. A week ago, Kelly won 10 times. Beckwith was next with seven scores. … All-source handle on the 14-race program was $2,980,371, the biggest single night of business at The Meadowlands – and presumably, the entire industry – in 2026.

PHOTO: Take All Comers and driver Colin Kelly won the Friday night feature at The Meadowlands. (Credit: Lisa Photo)