Meadowlands: Graduate Series final for trotters goes to Winner's Bet

Winner's Bet and driver Dexter Dunn overcame an overland trip to capture the $230,000 Graduate Series final for 4-year-old trotters at the Meadowlands on Saturday night in a 1:50 4/5 mile.

Sent off as the 1-5 public choice, Dunn left the gate hard with Winner's Bet but was joined by others, forcing him to settle into a tuck on the first turn. Chapercraz and Yannick Gingras were intent on the front and had it by the first turn before yielding to Hasty Bid at the quarter-pole. Todd McCarthy left from the outside with Oh Well and was parked past the :27 3/5 opening quarter before gaining control of the pace.

McCarthy set an honest clip, hitting the half in 55 3/5 before Dunn took Winner's Bet to the outside to go the long route. Special Way and driver Tim Tetrick neatly got behind the favorite on the first turn and accepted the second-over trip eagerly past the half. Oh Well maintained control for McCarthy, hitting three-quarters in 1:23 3/5 as Dunn tried to time his move just right with Winner's Bet while not giving the covered Special Way any sort of edge.

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In the lane Winner's Bet finally overtook the pace-setter in mid-stretch and opened some ground but saw Special Way and Tetrick close in determinedly late. Winner's Bet, trained by Nancy Takter for owners Lindy Farms of Conn. and Robert Rudolph, held off Special Way, with Chapercraz sneaking between horses for third money.

It was the third straight win without a defeat for Winner's Bet, a son of Walner that posted the year's fastest time with a 1:49 3/5 victory in the final Graduate elimination. For Dunn it was the third consecutive Graduate victory, having won with the mares Bella Bellini and Jiggy Jog S previously.

"He was really good. That was a tough trip," said Takter. "He had to come first-up a really long way, and he had just enough left in the tank to get the job done.

"I'm really proud of his effort tonight."

Winner's Bet returned $2.40 to win.