First Whippoorwill Wins Meadowlands Feature

Stone Farm and Kenneth Tomlinson’s First Whippoorwill ran past favorite Raro inside the 1/16th pole to post a length and a half win in the $32,000 allowance/optional claiming feature as jockey Paco Lopez scored a grand slam, winning the first four races on the Friday afternoon card at the Meadowlands.

With Chris DeCarlo in the irons, First Whippoorwill stepped the mile over firm turf in 1:37 2/5 and paid $22.20, $7.60 and $4.60.  Odds-on favorite Raro, with Paco Lopez aboard, completed the $63 exacta and returned $2.80 and $2.60.  It was another half-length back to No Splits, who paid $6.40 to show.

A trainee of H. Graham Motion, First Whippoorwill is a 5-year-old mare by Mutakddim from the Dancing Count mare Lonesome Sound. She has won six of 18 lifetime starts.

Live racing continues at the Big M on Saturday, Oct. 26 – gates open 11:30 a.m., first post 2:15 p.m.  The all-turf Monmouth-at-Meadowlands meet runs through Saturday, Nov. 2.