Harness: Sharp qualifier for Foiled Again

With the calendar nearly reaching March and stakes races looming in the coming weeks, multiple millionaires were on display during qualifying action at the Meadowlands on Friday morning.

The star attraction was of course Foiled Again. The gutsy war-horse settled in fourth in the early going before pulling at the three quarter pole to mount a late charge into a stiff stretch headwind. Driver Yannick Gingras just sat chilly on Harness Racing’s all-time earnings leader and the 12-year-old finished well within himself in second, 1-1/4 lengths behind Somewhere In L A in the 1:54 mile.

Stablemate Bettor’s Edge, himself a winner of $1,793,315, finished just 1-1/2 lengths behind Foiled Again.

The Ron Burke-trained Foiled Again has earned $7,338,988 during his career while winning 86 races and Gingras was impressed as usual with his performance.

“He was good. It was his first qualifier and there was no need to ask him,” said Gingras of the effort. “He has the same little quirks but once he gets around the last turn he still picks it up.”

The most impressive winner on the six-race morning card was another Burke trainee Always At My Place. The 5-year-old pacer moved into his stable last year and put up some big miles, including a 1:47 2/5 victory at Pocono Downs.

On Friday morning, Always At My Place stopped the timer in 1:53, a huge mile considering the strong winds.

“He’s a good horse with a big set of lungs. I raced him once last year and I don’t think he was at his best and I still really liked him,” said Gingras, who chased home the winner with Request For Parole, a quality mare he will drive in the upcoming Blue Chip Matchmaker series at Yonkers Raceway. “I was really happy with her today,” he said.

Other potential 2016 stakes winners coming out victorious included Luminosity (1:55 3/5) and Skippin By (1:55).