Meadowlands: Dunn aiming for a pair of stakes with Manchego and Bettor's Wish

Driver Dexter Dunn enjoyed a career year in 2019 his first full year of competition in North America. Dunn will be in the spotlight along with some extremely talented horses this Saturday night at The Meadowlands. His mount, Manchego (post 6), will look for her third straight triumph in the featured $170,000 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial Free For All Trot (race 8).

"She's come back strongly," said Dunn. "She started getting good towards the end of last season and she's been great so far this year."

A daughter of Muscle Hill, Manchego faces a field of 10 rivals, primarily males, but also includes the 2018 Hambletonian winner Atlanta, a mare she defeated by a scant nose in the first round of the Miss Versatility two weeks ago at The Meadowlands.

"They are both great mares," Dunn said, while well aware that on any given day either of these mares could defeat the other. Atlanta drew post 5 in the Cutler for trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras. Guardian Angel As (post 11) drew into the second tier after making an impressive Meadowlands debut two weeks ago with a 1:50 1/5 career best victory in a Preferred event. Tim Tetrick will handle Guardian Angel As, a 6-year-old with $1.3 million in career earnings.

Post position didn't appear to be a major concern for Dunn in the Cutler. "She's just a pleasure to drive. You can do whatever you want with her," Dunn said. Clearly in a race with this much talent having options at your disposal is paramount.

While Atlanta will be making her second start of the season and should improve off the 1:50 nose loss, there are clearly other players that have returned in 2020 who add more substance to the field. Southwind Chrome has looked sharp in all three starts since racing returned to The Meadowlands, despite not getting any post relief. The son of Chapter Seven could be in prime striking position on Saturday given his post 3 draw. The Cutler also includes Chin Chin Hall as the lone 4-year-old in the field of older rivals. Chin Chin Hall put in an explosive effort trying to upset Gimpanzee in last week’s Graduate and just fell short late, though covering his mile in 1:50 2/5 in the process.

Dunn is expecting a better trip for Bettor’s Wish in one of three $50,000 Graduate divisions (race 10) on the Saturday program. Bettor's Wish finished third in his season’s debut on June 21 in a Graduate division at Tioga and despite the loss earned rave reviews. "I really wanted to protect him some since it was his first start. He went an amazing trip and was like his old self finishing the mile," said Dunn. "There was a lot of stopping and starting but that never seems to bother him."

Indeed Bettor's Wish spent much of his first start of 2020 in a major traffic jam and Dunn hopes drawing post 2 on Saturday may make things a little easier, though that certainly isn’t assured. Bettor’s Wish will start inside last year’s Meadowlands Pace winner Best In Show (post 5) as well as Pace third-place finisher Workin Ona Mystery (post 8). When these three met nearly one year ago, only a head separated them on the wire in a race clocked in 1:48.

This year Workin Ona Mystery appears to be rounding into form off his 1:50 Graduate leg off-the-pace score at Tioga. Best In Show came up a little short in his 2020 debut, but got roughed up while parked wide through a 25 4/5 opening quarter on his way to a fourth-place finish.

Dunn gives Major Occasion A a good chance in the $22,500 Fillies & Mares Open/Preferred Handicap (race 9). The 6-year-old by Art Major is handicapped in post 7 in the field of eight. "She really didn't get around Yonkers too well," said Dunn, referring to a third-place finish on June 23. "She was really strong in her second-place finish at The Meadowlands." In that event, Major Occasion closed in gamely but couldn’t reach Kissin In The Sand, who posted a 1:47 4/5 mile that night. Kissin In The Sand (post 8) is the likely favorite again.

Dunn will drive Sandbetweenmytoes in Saturday's fifth race that serves as a prep for the Meadowlands Pace eliminations. The Jim Campbell-trained gelding has impressed his driver thus far. Dunn qualified Sandbetweenmytoes twice before the gelding won his sophomore debut in 1:50 4/5 at Harrah’s Philadelphia with Jordan Stratton aboard. "He's definitely bigger and stronger," said Dunn. Pace hopefuls Catch The Fire (post 6), Manticore (post 7), Allywag Hanover (post 8) and Captain Barbosa (post 10) should make this race a solid test.

Dunn said at this point he’s committed to driving Major Betts and Captain Kirk in the Meadowlands Pace eliminations. "Major Betts has definitely developed between last year and this, and he’s much easier to drive," said Dunn. Major Betts scored impressively in NYSS action last Sunday at Tioga. "Captain Kirk didn't get in this week, so I will qualify him on Friday morning," Dunn said of the Tony Alagna trainee.