GINGRAS WINS FOUR, PICK-6 GRAND AT BIG M

Saturday, November 26, 2022

Yannick Gingras came to play Friday night at The Meadowlands, and so did the 20-cent Pick-6 players.

The 43-year-old Hall of Fame pilot recorded four wins to lead the driver colony while bettors awoke from their post-Thanksgiving slumber with some huge play in the Pick-6 with motivation provided by a pool that was guaranteed at $100,000.

Gingras got his night rolling in the second race by guiding Portofino (at odds of 5-2) to victory lane in a non-winners of two trot for trainer Ron Burke in 1:55 despite a 41-day layoff. Gingras came right back in the next race with the Bruce Saunders-trained Texas Miki, who snuck through the inside late to score in 1:54.1 at odds of 6-1 in a TrackMaster 77 pace.

“The Green Hornet” recorded a natural hat trick by scoring with 4-1 chance Troycen for Burke in a non-winners of $3,000 trot in 1:57.1 before completing his big night with the Saunders’ student Best Keepsake in the seventh-race fillies and mares non-winners of $3,000 pace in 1:54.4 as the 6-5 favorite.

With stiff winds in their faces coming through the stretch, it was tough to make up ground, making the front end the place to be on a night that felt chillier than the 46-degree thermometer reading.

“You just pay attention to what’s going on,” said Gingras of the track bias. “You have to be close anyway, so I put my horses on the point and a few got the job done. Winning races brings confidence, and when you feel good in the bike, it definitely makes a difference.”

The 20-cent Pick-6 had a double carryover of just over $32,000, which led to Meadowlands’ management – in conjunction with the United States Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering initiative – to guarantee the total pool at $100,000. What resulted was $107,218 in “new money” for a total pool of $139,648.

The winning horses’ odds during the Pick-6 sequence were 9-2, 5-2, 4-1, 7-5, 12-1 and 8-5, and those with all six winners collected a handsome $6,101.92.

A LITTLE MORE: Dexter Dunn recorded a driving triple while Andy McCarthy and Corey Callahan had two each. … Burke and Sanders led the trainers with two winners apiece. … Despite only one horse going off at odds greater than 9-2, the 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 returned $5,833.78. … All-source handle totaled $2,891,501 as total play in the two 50-cent Pick-4 wagers totaled just under $150,000. … Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m. on “Fall Final Four/TVG Championships Night”, eight stakes events – that will be contested as races four through 11 – that will go for purses totaling $2.7 million. The marquee attraction is the presumptive Horse of the Year Bulldog Hanover, who, along with the super mare Atlanta, will be making the final starts of their respective careers.

PHOTO: Troycen takes the fourth race at The Meadowlands Friday night, one of four winners on the card for driver Yannick Gingras. (Credit: Lisa Photo)