Itrustyou leads Exit 16W division winners

Itrustyou kept his winning streak alive with a commanding victory in a division of the Exit 16W Series Friday night at the Meadowlands. Other Exit 16W splits were won by Whogoesfirst (1:50.3), Fearless Diablo (1:50.2) and Sonic Dancer (1:51.3).

 

With regular driver Yannick Gingras in the sulky, Itrustyou took control of the race before the half, was challenged by Clyde Hirt Series winner Special T Rocks in the third quarter, but rebuffed his rival and won in 1:51.2.

 

While Itrustyou won for the fourth time this season and kept his winning streak alive at 11, the outcome might have been different if Stonebridge Rocket had found racing room. As announcer Ken Warkentin rightly called, the Brian Sears driven son of Rocknroll Hanover was "locked in for his life" as Special T Rocks hung right alongside him, keeping him pinned. Itrustyou won by one-half length over Special T Rocks, with Stonebridge Rocket third.

 

Itrustyou is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, which bought the 4-year-old gelding by Third Straight from breeder-horseman Dean Collins.

 

The Exit 16W Series got underway with the first race on the Friday card and Whogoesfirst, also driven by Gingras, rallied to score in 1:50.3. Cam B Zipper finished second and Nathan Feelsgood took third while betting favorite Bolero Andrew was fourth.

 

Whogoesfirst, a 4-year-old Cambest gelding, is trained by Luanne Case and was coming into the race off a fifth-place finish in non-winners action the previous week at the Big M.

 

Fearless Diablo, a 9-1 shot, came from the back of the field and battled with Bettor's Reward before edging that foe by a neck in 1:50.2. Matt Kakakaley drove Fearless Diablo, a 4-year-old stallion by Art Major, who also earned a new mark with his second career victory.

 

Sonic Dancer also won an Exit 16W division, redeeming himself after his 10th-place finish in the Clyde Hirt final. With Sears in the bike, Sonic Dancer powered three-wide in the last turn and then dug in to win by a head over Risk Management in 1:51.3.

 

Kevin McDermott trains Sonic Dancer, a 4-year-old Mach Three stallion, for Fran Azur.