Slam Bammy breaks track record

Horse-for-the-course Slam Bammy erased a 10-year-old track record en route to a 1 1/4-length victory in Friday night's $75,624 Rutgers University Stakes at the Meadowlands.

A 5-year-old gelding ridden by Rajiv Maragh for trainer Joe Orseno, Slam Bammy ($5.60) covered the six furlongs on a fast track in 1:07.62 to break the record of 1:07.80 set by Hay Cody on Sept. 6, 1996.

It was the second straight stakes victory for Slam Bammy at the Meadowlands, where he is now 4 for 5 lifetime. The only time he failed to win locally came when he finished second behind Joey P in last year's Rutgers.

Slam Bammy, owned by Peter Cangelosi, has now won 7 of 19 starts and $250,290.

John's Pic, a 29-1 shot ridden by Mario Madrid, outdueled Man of Danger to open up a 1 1/2-length lead after a half-mile in 44.02 seconds and still was in front by a length with a furlong remaining. Slam Bammy made a three-wide bid coming into the stretch, took command with a sixteenth of a mile left, and was drawing away at the finish.

John's Pic held second, finishing 1o1/2 lengths in front of Who's the Cowboy, the 4-5 favorite.