Brooms poised at Big M

Crawdad and Go On BB bid for series sweeps in their respective finals, the $43,000 Fox Sports Net and $62,000 Blossom, on Thursday night at the Meadowlands.

Crawdad guns for his fifth straight win and second Meadowlands series crown in the $43,000 Fox Sports Net, an early non-wagering event that will be conducted prior to the start of the racing card at 6:50 p.m. He will start from post three with Andy Miller in the sulky.

Trained by Erv Miller, Crawdad already has the $121,300 Four Leaf Clover to his credit this season, along with the first two legs of the Fox Sports Net Series. He has been first or second in 11 of 12 starts in 2007, winning eight. The 4-year-old gelding was an $18,000 yearling purchase by the Red Barn Stable of Morrison, Ill. (Robert, Mary and Jennifer Black; Kevin and Susan Beth).

“Out of 23 horses, we finally have a good one,” said Red Barn Stable’s Bob Black. “It’s like I said to Andy (Miller) in the winner’s circle (last Thursday), ‘It can’t be that easy Andy.’ And he just looked at me and he said, ‘He just jogged, Bob, last half in :55, last quarter in :26.1 on a (rated) good track.’ I was talking to my daughter, Jennifer, and I said what I love about this horse, just like what you love about people, he’s a trier. If he’s 20 lengths behind or if he’s on the front, he tries. If he gets beat, he gets beat, but he doesn’t cheat you.

“I’ve watched the Meadowlands on TV since 1982,” Black added. “I bought a dish so I could watch the Meadowlands. I taped it every night and watched every race. My goal was always to just have a horse good enough to come here. We thought the Four Leaf Clover was one of those dreams beyond a dream. Being a little superstitious, I saw the horse’s birthday is the 24th (of March), my daughter’s birthday is the 24th and the final’s on the 24th. That’s why I wrote the check for the $2,000 (to nominate him), because I thought maybe there’d be a consolation and he could get in the consolation. But as we found out, he didn’t need a consolation. Erv just has him so sharp, it’s unbelievable.”

Later in the evening, Go On BB looks to extend her winning streak to eight in the $62,000 Blossom final, race two. Coupled in the wagering with Summer In Fiji, she is rated as the 3-5 favorite from post five (head #2). Yannick Gingras has the driving assignment.

Trained by Mickey Burke and owned by Frank Baldachino of Clarksburg, N.J., Go On BB has won nine of 12 career starts. Her skein began on Sept. 6, 2006 at Indiana Downs. (Meadowlands)

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