Martha Maxines maxes out in Overbid

Martha Maxine ($7.80, $4.20, $3.20) employed her signature late kick to win the $50,000 second leg of the Overbid Series for open pacing mares on Friday night (March 13) at the Meadowlands.

Martha Maxine, with Andy Miller at the lines, angled in fifth as Go On BB led the field in a single-file stroll to the quarter in :28.2. Flushed out by Sportsfancy, Martha Maxine gradually worked her way up the outer tier as Go On BB remained untested through a :56.4 half.

She collared the pacesetter with a sixteenth of a mile to go and drew off to a 2-1/2 length tally in 1:51. Go On BB ($8.00, $4.20) gamely held second, while Sportsfancy ($3.00) capitalized on a second over trip to finish third.

Martha Maxine improved her record to three wins in five starts this season for trainer Erv Miller and co-owners Tony Alagna and Brittany Farms. The 5-year-old mare bids for her second series crown this winter in the $123,000 Overbid Final next Friday, March 20. She captured the $87,500 Cape & Cutter Final in February.

Driven by Brian Sears, Chasin Racin ($3.20, $2.10, $2.10) easily cleared the field early despite breaking from the extreme outside post, then sat just behind River Shark as that one took command down the backstretch.

As the field entered the stretch, River Shark maintained a narrow lead, while Chasin Racin was bottled up in traffic along the inside. Eventually a hole opened for the George Teague, Jr. trainee and Chasin Racin powered home to win by a head in a career best 1:52. River Shark ($3.00, $2.10) held on for second, while Lisagain ($2.10) finished third.

Friday night's victory was the third in a row for Chasin Racin, who also captured a first leg split of the Matt's Scooter Series. The 3-year-old improved his career record to 5-1-0 in eight lifetime starts for owners Elmer Fannin and George Teague, Jr. Inc.

In the second Matt's Scooter division, Hypnotic Blue Chip ($3.60 $2.20 $2.10) popped the pocket down the stretch and swooped right by Glad To Be Back to win in a lifetime best of 1:50.2. Glad To Be Back ($3.60 $2.40) was second and Johnny Z ($2.10) finished third.

The win marks the fourth in a row for the Mark Harder trainee, who also won in the first leg of the Matt's Scooter Series. Hypnotic Blue Chip is owned by Deena Rachel Frost, Stable 45, Mark Harder, and Robert Murphy.

The Matt's Scooter Series concludes next Saturday (March 21) with a $104,400 final. (Meadowlands)