East Rutherford, NJ — Resolve To Win used a what-else-is-new speed drive from Jason Bartlett to overcome post 10 and take the Saturday night feature at The Meadowlands, a $25,000 TrackMaster 90 for trotters.
Despite having not raced since mid-September, the 5-year-old gelded son of Resolve-Sensual Hall used a blinding burst of early trot to clear the top, and reached the quarter in a taxing :27.3. Bartlett was then able to back down the second fraction to :29, as he and his partner reached the half in :56.3.
The Jeff Cullipher trainee was moving right along to three-quarters with his stablemate, Outside The Fire, sitting in the two-hole. Chuckthemillionair was now on the move trying to threaten the leader while racing uncovered, but couldn’t provide much of a challenge as Resolve To Win hit three-quarters in 1:26.
Outside The Fire tried in vain to come after his training partner nearing the wire (the pair qualified together on Nov. 22), but could not menace as Resolve To Win finished the job with a 1¼-length score in 1:53.3, to win for the 25th time from 85 lifetime tries.
Bartlett was unconcerned about the layoff. “He was really good in the qualifier [which he won in 1:55]. He’s so quick-footed out of the gate. I got a good spot and I know [Outside The Fire] loves a target, but my horse is a really good little horse. I knew they were both similar as far as how good they would be.”
The betting public was also unconcerned, sending Resolve To Win to the gate as the 2-1 favorite in the field of 10, and they were rewarded with a $6.20 win payoff. The winner now has earnings of $337,426 for owners Pollack Racing LLC.
‘HEYMIKI’ SO FINE IN 1:49.4: Oakwood Heymiki IR registered his fifth win in his last six starts in the featured pace, a $17,500 high-end conditioned event.
The 5-year-old gelded son of Always B Miki-I Got Rhythm swung three-wide off cover at three-quarters and charged home to the tune of a :26 final quarter to hit the line three-quarters-of-a-length in front of the pocket-sitting Sugar Man.
“He exploded off a helmet tonight,” said winning driver Tyler Buter. “He’s a super nice horse. I’m sure he’s going to get his chance against better horses [down the road].”
The Robert Cleary student completed the mile in 1:49.4 on a frigid, real-feel-temperature 34-degree night and returned $2.40 as the 1-5 public choice.
A LITTLE MORE: After winning six races on the Friday card, Mark Herschberger was at it again, leading the driver colony with four victories on the night to finish the weekend with an even 10. … A carryover of $3,381 coaxed players to wager $30,318 of “new money” into the 20-cent Pick-6 pool, and after a havable sequence that saw winner’s odds of 1-5, 7-2, 2-1, 3-5, 1-5 and 3-1, those with winning tickets collected $122.38. … Patrons emerged from their post-Thanksgiving tryptophan slumber ready to play, as all-source betting totaled $3,024,364 on the 14-race program. … Racing goes back to a three-day-a-week schedule when live action resumes Thursday at 6:20 p.m.