by Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations

East Rutherford, NJ — Apple Bottom Jeans stamped herself as the favorite for next week’s $54,500 Burning Point Series final with a monstrous win in the first division of the second and final leg of the event for pacing mares Saturday night (April 14) at the Meadowlands.

Lisa photo

Apple Bottom Jeansand driver Victor Kirby score in the first of two divisions of the second legof the Burning Point Series at the Meadowlands Saturday night.

Sent to the gate as the 2-5 favorite, Apple Bottom Jeans sat a four-hole past the quarter as 2-1 second choice Bettorhaveanother was on the point. Apple Bottom Jeans moved to the outside at three-eighths, got up to the leader’s throat on the far turn and then drew clear to a 2-3/4 length victory in a lifetime-best 1:50.1 for driver Victor Kirby and trainer Kevin Switzer. Bettorhaveanother was second with Tica Hanover third.

The 5-year-old daughter of Mr Apples returned $2.80 to win.

Valuable Art ($4.60 to win as the 6-5 public choice) made the lead at the quarter in the other Burning Point division and after being passed by a pesky Windsun Glory in mid-stretch, came back to record a thrilling nose win over that foe in 1:51.2. Stormtracker was third.

The winner, a 5-year-old daughter of Art Official, was driven by Corey Callahan and trained by Shaun Callahan.

Barimah A ($5.60 as the 9-5 second choice) made the lead at the three-eighths and kept 3-5 favorite Windsong Leo at bay throughout the final quarter to record a three-quarter length win in the lone division of the second leg of the Whata Baron Series for horses and geldings on the pace. Hug The Wind N third.

Barimah A is an 8-year-old gelded son of Bettor’s Delight who completed the mile in 1:50.4. He was driven by Andy Miller and trained by Scott Di Domenico and is the likely favorite for next week’s $53,500 Whata Baron final.

A LITTLE MORE: The Pick-4 continues to be as popular as any multi-leg bet in all of harness racing as the total pool topped the $100,000 mark ($105,082) for the third time this year. … All-source wagering totaled $2,328,218 on the 10-race card. … The Late 20-Cent Jackpot Super High-Five failed once again to result in a single-ticket winner, inching the carryover ever closer to the $200,000 mark, at $192,943. … The 20-Cent Survivor Pick-10 had a record-setting night, as the biggest pool in the history of the wager, $25,061, was the total play. For those who survived all 10 races, the reward was a payoff of $7,633. … Favorites ruled as post-time choices won 14-of-20 races over the course of the Big M’s Friday-Saturday race week. … Live action resumes at the Meadowlands Friday at 7:15 p.m.