Meadowlands: Dunn making a name for himself in U.S.

New Zealand native Dexter Dunn hasn’t been racing in North America for very long, four months to be exact, but he is already making a serious impact. The 29-year-old driving champion from Down Under has been given the chances and proven he can drive with the best. On Friday night, Dunn has some real chances with nine drives in a dozen races at The Meadowlands.

“It’s been pretty good so far,” said Dunn on his way to Harrah’s Philadelphia to drive on Wednesday. “I’m very happy with the support I’ve been getting.”

Clearly Dunn’s resume as a leading driver in New Zealand has served itself with many other trainers who cut their teeth in the Southern Hemisphere. On Friday he’ll get the ball rolling for conditioner Mark Harder behind the 3-1 choice Declan Seelster in the first race. “I took him back at the start because he could get a little hot,” Dunn says of the qualifier last Saturday. “But he finished up pretty well. We’ll see what Mark wants me to do.”

Dunn had to beg off a very sharp horse in Constntlysidewys A in the second race, instead opting for the Chris Ryder-trained Buschwacker. “He missed a year of racing and sometimes it takes a little while to come all of the way back,” said Dunn of Bushwacker. “He can get a little lost on the lead at times. Once he got passed last week he started fighting back.”

Buschwacker, a 7-year-old by Rocknroll Hanover, is making just his eighth start this year.

“Constntlysidewys A went a really big trip last week,” Dunn said of his rival on this night. “He was on the bit going to the quarter so I just let him go.” Constntlysidewys A paced a 1:49 1/5 mile while beating slightly cheaper company.

Dunn will sit behind Tact Tate N, a very highly regarded import that had a bit of trouble in last week’s go at The Meadowlands. “He got locked on the left line past the half and we had a tough time working through it,” said Dunn. “He raced great after that.”

Tact Tate N, despite his problems on the final turn, finished fourth and was beaten just over a length. “I lost my spot on the inside and the horse that came up to fill it went on to win the race,” Dunn said, obviously suggesting had his horse maintained the course he could’ve won. Tact Tate N drew the rail in Friday’s seventh race, the $20,000 Preferred Handicap.

Dunn hopes that troubled trips are behind him at least when it comes to Century Churchill, the 5-year-old he’ll drive in the evening’s eighth race. “I really haven’t had any luck with him,’ said Dunn. “Last week I got caught behind horses in the stretch. The week before he finished strongly but the cover wasn’t much help.”

Century Churchill also draws inside from post three while dropping down.

Post position could be an issue but form won’t be for Waltzacrossthewire, Dunn’s drive in the ninth race. “He raced very well last week,” said Dunn. Waltzacrossthewire has raced twice for Dunn with his first at odds of 88-1 and second last week’s nose loss at 22-1.

Dunn has proven to trainers and bettors alike that he can find a winning spot with all types.

Dunn will close out his night with a horse that didn’t get much respect in the morning line but could come post time. Alta Shelby N is a 4-year-old by Mach Three that Dunn knows fairly well. “He was a pretty good horse Down Under,” Dunn said. “He choked at the start last week,” said Dunn, offering a reasoned explanation for the seventh-place finish. It was the first start in three weeks for Alta Shelby N after an impressive qualifier at The Meadowlands on November 11. “I was very happy with the way he finished up in that qualifier,” Dunn said.

Alta Shelby N drew post six and starts outside the red-hot Wise Image (post 4), a 4-year-old recent arrival from Indiana looking for his third consecutive score.

Dunn says he’ll continue to race locally this winter and is as yet not sure whether those travels will lead him anywhere but The Meadowlands. “I’ve been to Dover a few times and may try Yonkers,” said Dunn. “It depends on how many horses I can pick up.”

With $1.4 million earned by his horses in less than a third of the racing season, Dunn has clearly established himself in the Northeast.