Ex-patriot Aussie dominates The Meadowlands

EX-PATRIOT Australian Todd McCarthy dominated the weekend’s racing at the Meadowlands.

McCarthy won four races during the Friday night program, scoring with Break The Deal, The Double Deuce, Darkrshadeofpale and Godspell Hall.

The following evening McCarthy had the hot hand, and for a second straight week, action in The Meadowlands' 20-cent Pick-5 was huge. The combination led to a giant payday for a handful of sharp players.

Unlike seven days earlier, when the total Pick-5 pool of $360,948 was divvied up many ways as three favorites (two odds-on choices) scored during the sequence leading to a payoff of $343.74, members of the "Todd Squad" cashed in for big balloons this time around.

Saturday night, the pool was $195,759 including a $25,000 seed put up by the track and the Standardbred Owners Association of New Jersey, and those who had all five winners walked away with $25,057.52.

McCarthy scored on Saturday in the second race with 9-1 shot Pokerface Bluechip. He made the day of those who hit the bet when he guided 29-1 chance Effronte A to the winner's circle in the fourth before winning his third race of the sequence with 2-1 favorite Somebaddude in the fifth-race payoff leg.

Winner's odds for the sequence - that included a pair of post-time public choices - were 7-1, 9-1, 6-5, 29-1 and 2-1.

• MEADOWLANDS MEDIA