Meadowlands: Three Opens held on Cutler undercard

Atlanta, Watch Me Now N, and Nicholas Beach won the three Open events that were featured on the undercard of the Arthur J. Cutler Memorial on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Starting from post seven in the $31,500 trot, Atlanta (Yannick Gingras) wound up two-wide until just before the 54 1/5 half where she was able to clear Weslynn Quest (Brian Sears) to take over the top spot. Atlanta then rebuffed first-over challenger and fellow Ron Burke trainee Yanks Dugout (David Miller) in a slow 29 4/5 third quarter before sprinting home in 27 2/5 to win by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:51 2/5. Yanks Dugout held second over a closing Kenziesky Hanover (Tim Tetrick).

Burke trains Atlanta, a 7-year-old Chapter Seven mare, for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Brad Grant, and Howard Taylor. This was her 32nd career win, and she has now earned $3,123,851. She paid $2.10 across the board as the 1-9 favorite.

In the $31,500 tilt for fillies and mares on the pace, Watch Me Now N (Dexter Dunn) led early but would yield to a pocket-pulling Racine Bell (Jason Bartlett) past the 27 3/5 opening quarter. Racine Bell maintained the front through a 55 2/5 half, a 1:22 4/5 three-quarters, and into the lane, but she would drift out in the stretch, giving Watch Me Now N plenty of space to rally. Watch Me Now N took charge again inside the last eighth, and she would go on to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:49. Test Of Faith (D. Miller) rallied from sixth and last at the half to second at the wire, and No Win No Feed A (Scott Zeron) was third.

Watch Me Now N, a 6-year-old daughter of He's Watching, is trained by Tony Alagna for owner Curtin Anz Stables. She is now a 12-time winner in her life, and she has pocketed $159,109. Dispatched at 16-1, she returned $35.80 to win.

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The $40,000 race for male pacers saw Nicholas Beach (Joe Bongiorno) rip off fractions of 26, 54 2/5, and 1:20 4/5 on his way to a 1:47 victory, just missing the world recod for an aged gelding pacer on a mile track by a fifth of a second. This Is The Plan (Gingras) was second, 2 3/4 lengths behind the winner, and Jack's Legend N (Dunn) closed from fifth to third in the last quarter.

Trainer Jenn Bongiorno also co-owns Nicholas Beach, a 6-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding, with partners John Lengacher and Michael Cote Gagnon. Nicholas Beach made his 19th appearance in the winner's circle, has now put away $413,121, and paid $8.20 to win as the 3-1 third choice.

"No words can truly describe what this horse means to us," said Jenn Bongiorno. "He has all the talent in the world.

"This week, he trained incredibly. Joe's been doing such a great job driving him and keeping him brave as we realize this is a very long season. On to the [$100,000] Commodore Barry [at Harrah's Philadelphia on May 29]."

WHAT'S YOUR HANDLE: Betting on the 13-race card was extremely vigorous, as a total of $3,412,840 was put in play, highlighted by race seven, which took in $444,633 worth of action. It marked the 11th time this year that betting busted the $3 million barrier at The Big M. The only time wagering was higher than Saturday's program was on March 5, when the all-source handle totaled $3,755,422.

--quote & handle details courtesy of the Meadowlands--