Meadowlands: Burke trainees sweep Preferreds, double Pick 6 carryover Friday

It was a night for upsets as some big-name horses prepped for next week's TVG Championships at the Meadowlands.

It's Academic (Dave Miller driving for Ron Burke), one week after taking the Preferred for trotters in 1:50 1/5, won the $34,500 event for a second straight week, and in the process, took down Bella Bellini (who was second as the 8-5 second choice) and Ecurie D (sixth as the 6-5 favorite) in 1:51 4/5 as the 3-1 third choice.

Lou's Pearlman (Dexter Dunn for Burke) pulled off a 7-1 upset in the $34,500 Preferred for pacers. Tattoo Artist, the 1-5 public choice, wilted after racing on the front-end to three-quarters in 1:21 3/5. The winner, one of three that Burke sent to victory lane on the night, stopped the clock in 1:49.

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BIG MONEY: A rare 50-cent Pick 4 carryover led to some extraordinary action, as $294,995 in "new money" was poured into the pot for a grand total of $344,035. The odds of the winning horses in the sequence - that saw no favorites emerge victorious - were 2-1, 14-1, 3-1 and 14-1. Those who hit cashed in for $3,269.15.

A LITTLE MORE: There were no winning tickets sold in the 20-cent Pick 6 for a second straight time, meaning that players will have a double carryover of $32,429 to shoot for when the bet is offered next on Friday night. Andy McCarthy led the driver colony with three victories. All-source wagering totaled $2,999,157. Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m.

--press release (Meadowlands)--