Meadowlands: Goes Down Smooth, Prince Of Tides knock off favorites in series finales

Favorites couldn't deliver in the finals of the Walner and Wiggle It Jiggleit Series on Saturday night at the Meadowlands, with second-choice Goes Down Smooth bagging the former and third-choice Prince Of Tides annexing the latter.

In the $54,500 wrap-up of the Walner Series, Goes Down Smooth (Tim Tetrick) was in the shadow of his favored stablemate Final Claim (Yannick Gingras), despite an open-length 1:53 4/5 score back on April 12. Tetrick sent Goes Down Smooth away from the gate on this night, and he worked around Warrior One (David Miller) for command past the 28 2/5 opening quarter. Final Claim then came to call on the outside in the second quarter, and Tetrick released him before the 56 3/5 half-mile marker.

Final Claim remained clear around the far turn and put three-quarters on the board in 1:25 3/5, but then disaster struck when he made a break in the stretch. That handed the lead back over to Goes Down Smooth, and the Hambletonian-eligible was able to keep Warrior One at bay to prevail by a neck in 1:54. Cheap Tricks (Andy Miller) came in for third.

A Muscle Hill colt, Goes Down Smooth is trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., William Switala, James Martin, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Goes Down Smooth, who was winless in nine starts last year, has a trio of triumphs this season, and he has pocketed $62,329. He was sent off at 3-1 and paid $8.40 to win.

Sophomore male pacers went after a purse of $58,500 in the final of the Wiggle It Jiggleit Series, and public choice Dealer's Table (D. Miller), who went wild fractions (27, 53 3/5, and 1:21) and then tired in the lane last Friday night, had the same thing happen again. He cleared Prince Of Tides (A. Miller) for the front passing the sensible 27 2/5 opening quarter, but then he couldn't be rated, putting up a half of 53 4/5 and a three-quarters of 1:21 1/5.

Dealer's Table called it a night in upper stretch, and Prince Of Tides had first "run" at the tiring leader after sitting a loose pocket trip, but after he took over command, he wasn't out of the woods as Stone Hanover (Tetrick) and World On Edge (Gingras) mounted bids from fourth and third, respectively. Prince Of Tides was all-out, but Stone Hanover just couldn't reach him in time, falling a nostril short in a 1:49 4/5 mile. World On Edge was just over a length back in third.

Trained by Ross Croghan, Prince Of Tides is a Somebeachsomewhere gelding out of the millionaire Badlands Hanover mare Tug River Princess. He was bred in partnership by Let It Ride Stables Inc., who kept him to race with co-owners Dana Parham and Howard Taylor. Prince Of Tides made his third appearance in the winner's circle, and he now has a bankroll of $58,660. Let go at 6-1 despite an impressive 1:51 win last week, Prince Of Tides returned $15.80 to win.