Meadowlands: Alagna sweeps exacta in Shady Daisy

After finishing first and second in the opening race of Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands, trainer Tony Alagna came back to do the same thing again in the $90,525 Shady Daisy for 3-year-old pacing fillies, with Reflect With Me bettering stablemate Lady Lou in a 1:48 3/5 performance.

Peaky Sneaky (Dexter Dunn) went right to the top from post four and was on top at the 26 second opening quarter as Lady Lou (Brian Sears), New Year (Tim Tetrick), Reflect With Me (Andrew McCarthy), and Rock Star Melinda (Matt Kakaley) settled in behind. Things remained in straight alignment after that point, with Peaky Sneaky clicking off the half in 54 1/5.

On the far turn Reflect With Me was the first horse to come out two-wide, and then approaching the 1:22 three-quarters Lady Lou vacated the pocket, giving Reflect With Me some cover to follow. Lady Lou vaulted past Peaky Sneaky coming off the bend and had the jump on Reflect With Me, but Reflect With Me beared down and inched in with every stride, getting up late to win by about a quarter of a length or so. New Year came on well to get third ahead of Rock Star Melinda and a fading Peaky Sneaky.

"There were no issues. She won good, and the fractions were fast enough," said McCarthy.

A daughter of Captaintreacherous, Reflect With Me is trained by Alagna for co-owner/breeder Brittany Farms LLC. and co-owner Brad Grant. This was her ninth career win, and she has now earned $670,384. She was the 1-9 favorite and paid $2.20 to win.