Meadowlands: Major Occasion shocks favorites in Dorothy Haughton Memorial

Australian-bred Major Occasion and driver Dexter Dunn got an inside trip the entire mile to spring a 50-1 upset in Saturday's $172,850 Dorothy Haughton Memorial for older female pacers at the Meadowlands in a stakes-record 1:48 1/5. Shartin, the sport's defending Horse of the Year and 3-5 favorite, was second, and Soho Burning Love was third in the event formerly known as the Golden Girls.

Starting from post one, Dunn sat second with Major Occasion as Kissin In The Sand led the field to an opening quarter of 26 1/5 and half of 54 2/5 before getting pressure from Shartin, who was fourth throughout the first-half of the race. Kissin In The Sand and Shartin were matching strides at three-quarters, hit in 1:21 1/5, and battled into the stretch, where Major Occasion found room along the pylons to scoot to a neck victory.

"It's a surprise, but she's actually been racing really, really good," Dunn said. "Her last quarters have been 25 (seconds), she just hasn't been handling the last turn. They changed her hobbles and she paced a lot better. We got a good trip, obviously, but she has been racing really good. It was a lucky trip, but she's a nice mare."

Major Occasion is trained by Richard "Nifty" Norman and owned by Enzed Racing Stable. The 6-year-old daughter of Art Major-Fake Occasion has won four of 11 races this season and $158,110. She has won 19 races lifetime and $331,490.

--Derick Giwner contributed to this report.