Jul 16, 2023 4 min read

East Rutherford, N.J. — Charlie May, owned by Don Tiger of Canonsburg, was the upset winner in the $444,000 William R. Haughton Memorial for free-for-all pacers Saturday night equaling his lifetime mark of 1:47.1 at The Meadowlands after sliding up the pylons late to defeat Tattoo Artist by a half-length.

In the same race, The Meadows-based Bythemissal – the 2022 Adios and Little Brown Jug champion – finished fifth. It was the first time in 21 lifetime starts the 4-year-old gelding did not finish in the top three.

Bythemissal had not raced in a parimutuel race since May 21 after suffering an illness. Bythemissal has now won 17 of 21 starts and finished in the money 20 of 21 times for owner and trainer Ron Burke and the Burke Stable, Fredericktown.

Another Burke-trained horse, M-M’s Dream pulled an upset in the Hambletonian Maturity, upending heavily-favored Jiggy Jog S.

The added eighth of a mile made a difference in the $410,250 trot. Driver David Miller needed every inch of the 1-1/8-mile distance to track down Jiggy Jog S and end her eight-race unbeaten streak on the wire to capture the event for 4-year-olds.

Following a soft three-quarters of 1:24.3, driver Dexter Dunn and Jiggy Jog S began a solid sprint and opened ground not only on M-M’s Dream but the entire outer tier and appeared to turn it into a one-mare race. Miller kept M-M’s Dream in hailing distance as Jiggy Jog S flashed a huge :26.2 fourth quarter and looked to have the race sewn.

That final eighth proved the tipping point and Jiggy Jog S struggled to maintain her advantage as a persistent M-M’s Dream kept shortening her lead. In the final strides, M-M’s Dream prevailed by a neck in a clocking of 2:04.3 for the 1-1/8-mile distance, just two-fifths off the world record. Raised By Lindy rallied for third with Looks Like Moni and Justice completing the top five finishers.

Burke took over as trainer of M-M’s Dream last month. Off at 12-1, M-M’s Dream returned $26.60 to win.

Burke said earlier in the week that M-M’s Dream “wants to win.”

As for Charlie May, Miller had the Steve Carter-trained McArdle gelding flying away from post nine in the field of 11, circling three-wide much of the first turn and dropping in behind early leader Allywag Hanover before the :26 quarter.

Ruthless Hanover had floated out, then was put into gear to get to the front by the three-eighths – and with an outer tier already forming by that point, favored Abuckabett Hanover had no choice but to brush up uncovered. However, he could not clear despite urging as the two crowd choices battled past a :52.4 half and all the way to the 1:19.4 three-quarters, where Abuckabett Hanover began to tire.

After the race Miller said, “I just took a shot out of the gate, and my horse was able to follow Allywag and looped Ruthless to drop in – that worked out perfectly. At the top of the stretch, I knew my horse still had a lot of pace, and when Allywag Hanover moved outside from in front of me to challenge Ruthless Hanover, I got the room I needed.”

Tiger, owner-breeder, knew the downside of racing fortune when Charlie May finished first in the 2021 Meadowlands Pace but was disqualified. On Saturday night, he got to know good fortune as his horse added another major credit to his resume, which sports a bankroll of more than $1.8 million and 25 victories in his career.

Also sharing in Charlie May’s good fortune were the scattered backers of the 31-1 winner – although trainer Carter noted, “I think a few people in Ohio may have had a little bet on him.”

Charlie May paid $64.40 to win.