American In Paris top JK Letitgo in series leg

The Meadowlands unveiled a brand new series for female pacers on Friday night, named for the talented race mare and Hall of Fame broodmare Artistic Vision.

 

The first of two scheduled $22,500 legs required the entrants be split into a pair of sevens with the first division going postward as just a five-horse field after two scratches in race two. The two hottest mares nominated to the series came in with unblemished 2014 records and both drew into the first split. American In Paris won this battle, outsprinting JK Letitgo in 1:51.3 over a track dulled by day-long rains.

 

Jim Morrill, Jr. sent American In Paris to the top from her outside post through the :27.1 first marker, then yielded to JK Letitgo who broke the next two beams in :55.3 and 1:24.4.

American In Paris races out of the Ron Burke barn and is owned by Burke Racing in partnership with Weaver Bruscemi.

 

The second division went to Road Bet, who virtually wired the field in 1:52.1. David Miller drove the 4-year-old Bettor's Delight mare for owner William Donovan and trainer Chris Ryder.  (Meadowlands)