Meadowlands: Hi 5 carryover ahead on Saturday's card

Friday's seventh race at the Meadowlands came in 10-6-1-9-8, and with two of the three longest shots in the race finishing third and fifth, no one had a winning ticket in the 20-cent Hi 5 (or Pentafecta, if you prefer), setting up a carryover of $14,783 for the Hi 5 that will be offered on Saturday's seventh race.

BEACH COWGIRL TAKES BIG M FEATURE: After a dismal start to her 2024 season when last as the 3-5 favorite, Beach Cowgirl followed that up with a solid second-place finish to Always B Naughty, a stakes filly from a year ago, last week. That effort set her up to find the winner's circle Friday night in the featured $17,000 high-end conditioned pace for fillies and mares.

Despite facing another top-flight mare, Zanatta, a lifetime earner of over $600,000, Beach Cowgirl was sent to the gate as the 6-5 public choice and was handled aggressively by driver Tyler Miller, sprinting away from post six in the eight-horse field as Zanatta left underneath her from post two. Miss Chantilly N (post four), seeking her third win in four tries, went past Beach Cowgirl at the quarter, hitting that station in 27 4/5, before Beach Cowgirl retook the top and hit the half in a tepid 57 2/5 before reaching three-quarters in 1:24 3/5.

"We were the only three leaving in the race," said Miller. "When we were able to turn John (Ahle, driving Miss Chantilly N) loose, and then retake, after the half, I knew they'd have to pace pretty hard to get by us. Nobody was pressing hard to the half, and that allowed us to rate the second fraction."

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Through the stretch, Miss Chantilly N emerged from the pocket to offer a challenge that never truly threatened the eventual winner while Zanatta took the inside route in her seasonal debut. Beach Cowgirl finished the mile in 1:52 after pacing her back half in 54 3/5, and was three-quarters of a length in front of Miss Chantilly N at the finish. Zanatta was third.

"We went 27 1/5 in the third quarter, some of it due to the wind at our back, but after the half I wanted to get her in gear," said Miller. "I wanted her to be able to finish strong.

"I wasn't very nervous at all through the stretch. I knew that [Miss Chantilly N] had been racing well, but my mare was going to be good off those fractions. She's a very nice mare, all the credit to Mickey and everyone in the Burke barn. They've done a great job with her."

A 4-year-old daughter of Captaintreacherous-Stonebridge Sundae who is owned by Joseph DiScala Jr., Zippett Racing Stable and Scarlett Stables LLC, Beach Cowgirl returned $4.60 to her backers. She now has eight wins from 23 lifetime starts and earnings of just over $400,000.

A LITTLE MORE: Braxten Boyd led the driver colony with three wins while Marcus Miller and Brett Beckwith each scored twice. Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m.

--edited press release (Meadowlands)--