Fillies dead heat, ‘Beach’ escapes in Kindergarten paces at Big M

East Rutherford, NJ — It was a case of too close to call in the Kindergarten Classic for filly pacers on a card that featured four Kindergarten finals for 2-year-olds at The Meadowlands Saturday night (Nov. 3).

Odds On St Lucie and Michelon’s Filly finished in a dead heat in the $148,700 event in a mile that went in 1:52. Alkippe was a head back in third.

Michelon’s Filly (No. 5) and driver Marcus Miller get up in time to dead heat with Odds On St Lucie (hidden inside) for the victory in the Kindergarten Classic final for filly pacers. 

Brett Miller sent 6-1 shot Odds On St Lucie to the top in search of her third straight series win. She would never relinquish the top. Even-money favorite Michelon’s Filly started to inch her way toward the leader after popping out of the four hole at the half. Three-quarters was reached in 1:24.2 as Michelon’s Filly and Marcus Miller continued to march closer while racing uncovered. Through the stretch, Michelon’s Filly bravely continued on, and at the wire, the photo finish cameras could not separate the pair.

Odds On St Lucie, a daughter of Sweet Lou-Shes Some Treasure, paid $5.20 to win for trainer Tony Alagna and owner Odds On Racing. She’s now five-for-10 lifetime and has earnings of more than $100,000. The Erv Miller-trained Michelon’s Filly returned $2.60 for owners Ronald Michelon and Michael Anderson and now has six wins in 13 starts and also a bankroll that just breaks the six-figure barrier.

“I thought I was out there way too long,” said Marcus Miller of Michelon’s Filly. “She paid me back for taking care of her in her last few starts. She was as game as possible. They were both digging right to the wire.”

Escapetothebeach went a perfect trip on the way to taking the $173,800 colts and geldings pace in 1:51.3. It was three-quarters of a length back to Mac’s Power. Waterway was third while 8-5 favorite Southwind Ozzi finished last in the field of 10.

Escapetothebeach and driver Andy McCarthy hit the wire first in the Kindergarten Classic final for colt and gelding pacers. Lisa photos.

Waterway and Brett Miller fired right to the top and cut out all of the fractions as Andy McCarthy sat right behind with Escapetothebeach. In deep stretch, Waterway bore out while weakening on the lead, allowing Escapetothebeach a pathway to victory.

“He raced really good tonight,” said McCarthy. “I got him to hustle out of there pretty good and I got the trip I wanted. He had a lot of pace. I was quite confident if I got out, I was the winner. I kept edging to the outside (in deep stretch) hoping I’d get room, but it wasn’t coming, so I looked and it looked like it was starting to open up to the inside, so I switched him back there and he went right through.”

A son of Somebeachsomewhere-Shelliscape, Escapetothebeach returned $16.00 to his backers for trainer Alagna and owners Alagna and Inthegym, Joe Sbrocco, Robert Leblanc and Bill Donovan, and now has three wins in 12 lifetime starts and earnings of $124,728.

A Little More: One lucky player became the second in as many nights to walk away with a $10,000 score in the 20-cent Survivor Pick-10. Friday night, the winner had to go 10-for-10 but on Saturday, all it took was five out of 10 to hit big.

Yannick Gingras drove three winners on the card while Corey Callahan, Brett Miller and David Miller had two apiece.

All-source wagering on the 11-race program reached a meet-best $2,539,969.

Racing resumes Friday at 7:15 p.m.

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