Meadowlands: Thursdays have brought the heat to winter racing

The last of six Thursday race cards takes place at The Meadowlands this week (Dec. 18), and while much wasn’t expected at the start from these programs since the Big M was increasing its race week 50 percent, from two cards to three, the Exit 16W Series has impressed, bringing plenty of good, competitive action to racing fans.

This Thursday’s card is big on intrigue. And talent.

The first of four Exit 16W Pop Up Series finals takes place in race three when $32,500 is up for grabs in a division for 2- and 3-year-old pacing fillies.

She Stings is the 9-5 second choice from post one for the Big M’s red-hot leading driver Brett Beckwith. The 2-year-old is off a wire-to-wire win in 1:52 3/5 in the series’ final preliminary last week.

Luisa Hanover scored in her career debut in 1:53 3/5 two weeks ago for trainer Tony Alagna and has been installed as the 8-5 favorite for driver Jason Bartlett. The 2-year-old has drawn post five in what promises to be a great matchup.

Trotters who are winners of 2 but not more than 4 races take to the track in the fifth race for $35,000, in what appears to be a three-way battle between Clear For Landing (5-2 on the morning-line, Beckwith driving), Benny J (3-1, Bartlett) and Bourbonista S (7-2, Johnathan Ahle).

Bourbonista S won one of the two final-leg splits a week ago in 1:54, taking down 4-5 favorite Benny J, while Clear For Landing won the other dash in 1:54.2.

The sixth race looks like another three-way melee when Big Ego (9-5, Braxten Boyd), Rider Hanover (2-1, Bartlett) and Doctor Arroganto (4-1, Beckwith) hook up in the $32,500 pace for 2- and 3-year-old colts and geldings.

Big Ego is after a three-race series sweep after taking each of the first two legs, in 1:55 3/5 and 1:52 2/5, respectively, with the first of the two a head win over Doctor Arroganto. Rider Hanover was second best in the 1:52 2/5 mile as the 3-5 public choice.

Finally, in the trot for winners of 4 but not more than 7 races, arch-rivals A Real Legend and Hey Porter will go head-to-head in round three of their pairing.

A Real Legend (9-5, Bartlett), who was the winner of leg one in 1:53 4/5, will depart from post five, while Hey Porter (8-5, Beckwith), the winner of leg two in 1:52 4/5, has the six hole in the $37,500 dash. The duo were the first two under the wire in both races.

-edited release (By Dave Little For Meadowlands)