East Rutherford, NJ — As the summer weather winds down and heads into the fall season, the amateur races are just heating up at the Big M as they had four races on the Meadowlands card Friday night (Sept. 17). The first pacing event started hot and heavy with the patented speed duel for the lead.

Mcnulty Z Tam(Matt Zuccarello) once again left this week hard from his rail position and looked to take command and set the fractions on the lead. Still, longshot Moonwards Hanover (Tony Beltrami) left, but Zuccarello would not let him get to the top. They went :27 and :55.1 to the half and all the while, sitting a perfect pocket trip journey, Kingofthejungle(David Glasser) was ready to pounce.

He waited patiently until Beltrami faded on the outside and was able to duel Zuccarello into defeat down the stretch by a length in a mile timed in 1:53.1.

Tailgunner Hanover(Juan Cano), the post-time favorite, rounded out the trifecta. The 10 year-old gelding is out of the mare Allamerican Calico out of the sire Well Said. He is owned by Glasser Racing LLC out of NJ and trained by Mike Watson.

The first amateur trot event took place in Race 3
on the card. After some early breakers in the first turn, Inaperfectworld (Tony Ciuffetelli) was on a mission and opened up a few lengths for the first half mile that went in :27.1 and :55.4.

Again, the pocket sitter waited until the three-quarter pole to pounce on the leader, and that is when post-time favorite, Innisfallen(Tony Beltrami) did.

He opened up in the stretch en route to a 6-length victory and hit the mile marker in 1:54.1. Slated To Win(James Foley) came from off the pace finish second and Swancredit(Melissa Arbia) rounded out the trifecta.

The 5-year-old gelding out of the mare Dream To Dream is sired by Explosive Matter, owned by Bramdeo Singh out of NY and trained and part-owned by Paul Fusco out of NJ.

In the sixth race on the card another full field of 10 pacers took to the fast mile surface. Last week’s winner, Brandon Hanover(Matt Zuccarello) went aggressively for the lead and never really had an anxious moment as he carved out sensible fractions and won by 3-1/2 open lengths.

Zuccarello, who has been hot lately, was the only amateur to have four drives on the card tonight and ended up picking up his 11th win on the season and 28th of his career.

He finished his night with a win, a second, a fourth and sixth-place finish. In The Huddle(Joe Lee) made a big move at the three-quarter pole to get within a nose of the leader, but could only muster up a second-place finish.

Longshot, Mr. D’s Dragon(Jacob Stillwell) finished third. It was the second consecutive week that Zuccarello took this 6-year old gelding to victory lane. He is out of the mare Brissonte Hanover and is sired by Big Jim. He is owned by Jennifer Orozco out of NJ and trained by Izzy Estrada.

The second trot race featured nine going to the gate in race eight. Stealing(Matt Zuccarello) left from post three and took the lead relatively easy in a pedestrian quarter of :30 flat. That is when Scirocco Patrick (Mark Silva) sensed the slow pace and was able to grind up to the leader and overtake him just after the half and looked to be a winner in deep stretch.

That is when Take A Wish (Dawn Anderson) closed from what seemed to be an impossible position next to last to nose out Silva for the win.

Cimeronken(David Glasser) ended up third. The mile went in 1:58.1. This 6-year old mare is out of the mare Take A Taste and is sired by Wishing Stone. She is owned by Anderson herself along with fellow driver Steve Smith out of NJ and is trained by Anderson herself.

The amateur pacers and trotters will be back at the Big M next Friday night with the first post schedule for 6:20 p.m.