STELLAR YANKEE TAKES SECOND STRAIGHT FEATURE AT BIG M

Sunday, March 1, 2026

In an exciting feature highlighted by a cutthroat battle for front-end supremacy, Stellar Yankee took his time and came from the back of the pack to record a thrilling off-the-pace victory, registering a second straight win in the $19,000 claiming handicap for pacers in for price tag of no less than $40,000 and no more than $60,000 Saturday night at The Meadowlands.

Winning driver Jordan Stratton was aiming to leave the gate, but aborted that mission. He’s no doubt happy with the way things worked out.

Dream Bird, the longest shot on the board at 31-1, was sprinting early from the rail in the abbreviated six-horse field. Boston Bound, the 8-5 favorite, was in the early fray, presumably on his way to trying to take the field wire-to-wire, but driver Joe Bongiorno was having none of that, as Dream Bird cut out torrid fractions of :25.4 and :52.3, leaving Boston Bound parked for a second consecutive week as slight 8-5 second choice Soho Santorini A was sitting in the pocket, licking his chops as the top two slugged it out.

At three-quarters, Dream Bird clung to a narrow edge on Boston Bound in a remarkable 1:20.4, and Colin Kelly swung ‘Soho’ to the outside, but by now Stellar Yankee, who raced three-wide nearing the head of the stretch, got in front of Soho Santorini A, stopping that one’s momentum as ‘Yankee’ mounted a stellar late bid.

Stellar Yankee was airborne through a personal final quarter of :27.4 and swept past the field to record an easy 3-length win. In the process, the 8-year-old gelded son of Always B Miki-Somethinginawater lowered his lifetime-best time for a second straight week, this time stopping the clock in 1:49.1. In another incredibly game try, Boston Bound finished second with Mamba claiming third.

“I wasn’t invited to go to the front,” said Stratton. “But in a short field, I was able to get out in the stretch. He’s always an honest horse when he comes here to The Meadowlands, and tonight, he gobbled them up.”

Stellar Yankee has now won four of his last 11 starts since starting that streak at the low non-winners of $2,500 level in late November. Lifetime, the Cory Stratton trainee now has 34 victories in 196 tries, good for earnings of $458,438 for owner Howard Jacobs. As the 2-1 third choice in the betting, he returned $6.80 to win.

CARRYOVER REPORT: There were a pair of carryovers to tease players, and one of them took a monstrous amount of action.

The 20-cent Pick-5 sported a carryover of $26,400 that motivated players to bet an amazing $188,943 of “new money” into the pool, for a grand total of $215,343. Winner’s odds for the sequence were 1-2, 28-1, 1-1, 4-5 and 7-5. William Carter guided long shot Dance It Out to victory in the second race to take down plenty of tickets, but those who did use him and cashed, collected a payoff of $1,464.02.

The $1 PK 8 continues to roll on, going unhit for a fourth consecutive offering, upping the carryover to $72,337. A sequence where winner’s odds went to the gate at 1-1, 4-5, 7-5, 6-1, 5-1, 2-1, 12-1 and 3-5 proved to be too tough for the masses. Those with six correct collected $63.50.

A LITTLE MORE: Stratton and Big M leading driver Brett Beckwith topped the driver colony hit parade with two winners apiece. … All-source handle on the 14-race program totaled $3,187,297, marking the second time this year that wagering cleared the $3-million hurdle. … Racing resumes Friday at 6 p.m.

PHOTO: Stellar Yankee and driver Jordan Stratton won the Saturday night feature at The Meadowlands. (Credit: Lisa Photo)