from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Longshot Odds On Charmaine ($36.40, $10.40, $8.80) capitalized on a pocket trip to win by one and one-quarter lengths in the first of two $35,000 divisions of the opening round of the Cape & Cutter Series on Friday night at the Meadowlands.

Lisa photo

Odds On Charmaine used a pocket trip to win by one and one-quarter lengths in the first division of the Cape & Cutter Series.

Driven by David Miller and trained by Robin Schadt, Odds On Charmaine paced the mile in 1:54² on a track rated sloppy.

Arukiddinme ($12.00, $6.80) finished second, and it was two lengths back to Maybe A Rita ($8.20) in third. Two-time Dan Patch divisional champion, as the 2001 Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year and 2002 Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year, Worldly Beauty, the 1-2 favorite, finished sixth.

Odds On Charmaine, a four-year-old daughter of Western Hanover, notched her first victory in her first start of the year and increased her lifetime earnings to $149,290 for Odds On Racing of Crete, Illinois.

In the second division, the fifth race, Carolina Sunshine ($4.80, $2.80, $2.80), with Brian Sears in the sulky, held off a fast charging My Fantasy ($2.80, $2.40) at the wire to win by a nose in 1:55. I’ve Got The Life ($3.60) finished a half length back in third.

Carolina Sunshine scored her first victory in her third start of the year and increased her lifetime earnings to $537,798 for owners Let It Ride Stables Inc. of Delray Beach, Florida and Shari Watchman of Colts Neck, New Jersey. Ross Croghan trains the five-year-old daughter of Cambest.

The Cape & Cutter Series continues with its second leg next Friday, February 13 and concludes with a $75,000 estimated final, to be raced on February 20.

In Exit 16W action, the winners were Iron Legend over West Gun in 1:54¹ (sixth race) and Dream Rocket over Build A Fire in 1:54³ (eighth race).