Mister Big rallies to 1:48.2 victory

Mister Big came up huge Saturday night as the 15-1 longshot pulled a stunning upset with a 1:48.2 victory in the $650,000 William R. Haughton Memorial final at the Meadowlands, defeating 1-5 favorite Lis Mara, who was fourth.

Artistic Fella took the field to the opening quarter in :26.2 from post three. But as the field straightened out in the backstretch Brian Sears hustled Lis Mara out of the four hole and swiftly moved into the lead before the :53.2 half.

With Total Truth and Ron Pierce mounting a first-over move with Mister Big and David Miller picking up the ideal tripfrom before the half, Sears appeared to have a strong hold on Lis Mara as they passed the three quarters in 1:21.2. But the expected blowout in the lane blew up. Tim Tetrick took Boulder Creek to the inside as Total Truth moved up closer to the leader and an anxious Artistic Fella looked desperately for room.

That’s when Miller and Mister Big tipped out and blew past the field for the victory. Total Truth came on to be second with Artistic Fella finally finding room to be third and Lis Mara fading to fourth.

“When the gate left I just tried to place him in the middle of the field and it just worked out,” Miller said of the trip with Mister Big. “I landed in a good spot, had good cover. It just worked.

“Around the last turn he felt good, I was thinking at that point I could be second or third. I tipped him three deep off Ronnie’s (Pierce) back and it looked like Lis Mara was starting to come back to us. Believe me I was shocked.”

Trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. for owner Joseph Muscara, Mister Big won for the ninth time in 16 starts this year for earnings of $561,498. His career total stands at $942,771 and the mile was his career best.

« Back