Meadowlands: Gingras, Walspea a perfect pair in Miss Versatility Series

Talk about a couple in perfect harmony.

Three times this year Yannick Gingras has driven the Trond Smedshammer-trained Walspea, and three times this year the pair have made it to the winner's circle. In Friday night's feature at the Meadowlands, the prolific pairing took the fourth and final $40,000 leg of the Miss Versatility for open mare trotters in a dazzling lifetime-best 1:50 2/5.

"She's a sweetheart and she's got a lot of speed," said Gingras, who piloted the 4-year-old daughter of Walner-Speak To Me to victory on Aug. 8 in the Dr. John Steele Memorial.

Woman Of Passion, a 70-1 long shot, took the field past the quarter in 27 1/5 before Walspea vacated the pocket to take over before the three-eighths, then reached the half in 56 seconds. There were no anxious moments from there, as no foe got close as Walspea clicked by three-quarters in 1:23 2/5 on the way to a decisive 1 3/4 length score. Woman Of Passion finished second, with 9-5 favorite Tactical Moni, who stayed in the three-hole throughout, holding the show spot.

"(My horse) sat a two-hole Hambletonian Day (when she won the Steele). She can do it either way. But with those fractions, I took my chance (moving to the lead)," said Gingras. "Obviously, at the half, I did have the jump on them and it worked tonight."

As the 2-1 second choice, Walspea returned $6.20 to her backers. She now has 10 wins from 31 career tries and a bankroll of $466,460.

The $100,000 (est.) Miss Versatility final is on Little Brown Jug Day (Thursday, Sept. 24) at the Delaware (Ohio) County Fairgrounds.

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'KING' REIGNS OVER APEX: King Of The Wind was put on the point by trainer-driver Joe Bongiorno and went wire-to-wire in a $25,000 New Jersey Classic elimination for 3-year-old colts and geldings on the trot.

Hambletonian winner Apex, sent to the gate as the 1-9 favorite, sat a three-hole trip, came off the rail at the five-eighths and did not fire, ending up a well-beaten fourth.

"I was kind of reading the gate a little bit, and there was really nobody going out of there. I decided to take advantage of it and hoped to get covered up. It didn't work out that way, and it ended up working out anyway," said Bongiorno.

With some big money bet on Apex to place (there was no show wagering), King Of The Wind, a gelded son of Walner-Wind Stroll, paid $41.40 to win, and even more, $47.60, to place. He's won seven of his 15 lifetime outings.

FABULOUS 'FAME': It was another flawless performance from Wall Of Fame, who stayed unbeaten in seven starts in a New Jersey Classic elimination for 2-year-old filly trotters.

The daughter of Walner-Saadet stopped the clock in 1:53 4/5 for trainer Julie Miller and driver Andy Miller. She paid $2.10 to win as the 1-9 chalk.

100,000 REASONS TO PLAY: After a 12-1 shot won the second race and a 14-1 chance the fourth, there were no winning tickets sold on the 20-cent Pick 5, creating a carryover of $28,782 for Saturday's first Pick-5, which will be offered on races one through five.

The estimated total pool is $100,000.

A LITTLE MORE: Bongiorno, who was named the Driver of the Week before the start of the program, got a leg up on winning the award again by guiding three to victory lane. Nancy Takter's three winners topped the trainers. All-source handle on the 14-race program totaled $2,605,797. Live racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m. (EDT).

--press release (Meadowlands)--