Meadowlands: Gingras, Burke bring out the broom in Hambletonian elims

Driver Yannick Gingras has swept the Hambletonian eliminations before and he pulled off the feat again on Saturday night, taking the pair of $100,000 events for 3-year-old male trotters at the Meadowlands with Ron Burke trainees Point Of Perfect and Celebrity Bambino.

In the first elimination Point Of Perfect was in the lead at the 27 1/5 opening quarter but would release a two-wide Little Expensive (Andy Miller) beyond that marker. Gingras re-moved to the front before the 54 4/5 half, though, and then braced for a challenge from favored and first-up Oh Well (Tim Tetrick) going to the 1:23 three-quarters. Oh Well had dead-aim at Point Of Perfect through the stretch, but Point Of Perfect, a 16-1 shot, didn't waver and held sway to score by half a length in 1:51 2/5. Oh Well was second from ralllying Osceola (Doug McNair) and Ghostly Casper (David Miller) and Southwind Coors (James MacDonald) got the last spot in the final.

"Earlier in the year when he was making breaks, he's a pretty aggressive horse and we had some stuff in his mouth to try and get him to calm down a little bit and he wasn't really liking it. Every time you'd grab ahold of him, he'd shake his head and make breaks," Gingras said. "The breaks he made, it was always when he was on the move do some work. He changed a few things around, and he's got him on point now. He's perfect to drive. He drives two fingers. He lets me do my job and obviously he did his tonight.

"I didn't want to be in the three-hole, so I re-moved him thinking that Timmy was going to move back, but when he didn't, I really wasn't too pleased with my move. I kind of wanted him back in the two-hole. My horse, I think he's definitely better following, but tonight he showed some guts. Oh Well, he's a great horse, and he fended him off. Top of the stretch, my horse still felt really good and Timmy was calling on his, so at that point it was all systems to try and get a good post for the final. Now we're guaranteed that."

Gingras added that he thinks Point Of Perfect has more in the tank and further equipment tinkering could be in store.

"Maybe on the front, I'm not sure that's his best game, but he's so quick off the gate, and he's great to drive. Knowing Ronnie he'll probably make a couple of changes next week, try to get him to go even a little bit faster," Gingras stated. "I think he's got a shot, no doubt. He beat a lot of the good ones tonight, so we'll see what happens."

A Walner colt bred by Indiana's Black Creek Farm, Northern Lane Farm, Four Corner Stables, and Hickory Hollow Stables, Point Of Perfect is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Hatfield Stables, J&T Silva Stables, LLC. and Knox Services Inc. He has a record of 3-3-5 from 22 career starts, has earned $217,146 and paid $34.60 to win.

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Celebrity Bambino controlled things throughout in the other elimination, gunning to the front from post five, carving out fractions of 27 4/5, 55 3/5 and 1:23 3/5 and sprinting home in 27 1/5 to win by a length and three-quarters in 1:50 4/5. French Wine (Andy Miller) turned a pocket trip into a second-place result and Tactical Approach got up from second-over for third. Winner's Bet overcame a parked-out trip from post ten to make the final and MGM Yonkers Trot champion Up Your Deo also advanced.

"At some point it's time to go," Gingras said about firing out the horse who has been from off-the-pace so far in 2023. "I think he can do it either way. Like most horses, maybe he's better following, but obviously he showed tonight on the front doesn't bother him either. He was full of trot. I chirped to him in the middle of the last turn and he went like a good horse. All the way through the wire, he was trotting real strong."

Gingras left no doubt who he'll be driving in the final, which he will try to win for the first time in his Hall of Fame career.

"It's the race everybody's looking for. It's been well, well, well-documented that it's the one thing that's missing, and I know it," he offered. "It's going to come one of these days. I drive a lot of good horses for the great connections, and we have a good shot next week, as good as anybody else in the race obviously. I don't need to wait for Tuesday, it's going to be Bambino."

Bred by White Birch Farm, Celebrity Bambino is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., J&T Silva Stables, LLC., Knox Services Inc. and Phil Collura. He is a seven-time winner from 18 outings, has put away $411,295 and returned $9.80 to win as the 7-2 third choice.

MONSTER CARRYOVER: For a second straight night, there were no winning tickets sold on the 20-cent Pick 6, creating a double carryover of $47,167. A decision will be made early in the week as to whether the bet will be offered on Friday night or Hambletonian Day Saturday.

--carryover note courtesy of the Meadowlands--