from the Meadowlands Media Relations Department

East Rutherford, NJ — The featured race on the Saturday night (Jan. 31) program at The Meadowlands was the $20,000 B-1/A-2 Handicap Pace. The race favorite and winner was Ultimate Beachboy, leaving from the outside post and sent off as the 3-2 choice.

Driven by Yannick Gingras, Ultimate Beachboy was asked for speed throughout the first quarter of the mile and cleared the lead nearing that first quarter in :27.1. Gingras and his gelding settled into a high-cruising speed and Ultimate Beachboy reeled off solid fractions, including a :54 half-mile and hitting three-quarters in 1:22.1.

Ultimate Beachboy turned for home clinging to that lead while facing a challenge from pocket sitting Capozzo. When it was clear that Capozzo was not going by, a new challenge emerged in the hard-charging Ontario Success who rallied boldly on the far outside, but narrowly missed to a game Ultimate Beachboy, who completed the mile in 1:49.4 on a cold, windy night in East Rutherford.

Ultimate Beachboy is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, M1 Stable and Jack Piatt III. The win was one of five on the card for Yannick Gingras.

The Saturday program also included six divisions of the Dash For The “C” Notes for the pacers. Only a win would guarantee a berth into the $25,000 final next Saturday.

The six winners were Why Don’t U Stay (1:52-Gingras), Hare Craft (1:52-David Miller), Hunchie (1:51.2-Gingras), Rock Star (1:52-Tim Tetrick), Road Untraveled (1:52.1-Mike Simons) and Dragon Lore (1:50.3-Gingras).

There were six second place finishers, of which four will make the $25,000 final, drawn by lot. Those six were Jack Attack, Bakersfield, Abelard Hanover, Magic Tricks, Sir Melo’s Z Tam and New Kind.

Both Jackpot Super Hi-5 wagers went unclaimed Saturday. The fifth race carryover stands at $7,487.21 while the last race carryover grew to $82,698.99.

Racing resumes on Thursday (Feb. 5), featuring the first round of the Charles Singer Series. Post time is 7:15 p.m.