Despite being away from the races for more than two months, Avanti proved ready to go in his first start for trainer Per Engblom, working out a perfect trip on the way to taking the Saturday night feature at The Meadowlands, a $15,000 high-end conditioned event for pacers ...
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- July 18, 2026 -- Despite being away from the races for more than two months, Avanti proved ready to go in his first start for trainer Per Engblom, working out a perfect trip on the way to taking the Saturday night feature at The Meadowlands, a $15,000 high-end conditioned event for pacers.
Avanti was away quickly from post five in the eight-horse field (there was one scratch), sitting a pocket trip from start to stretch behind veteran millionaire Southwind Gendry, who led at the quarter in :26.3 and half in :55.3.
Papis Pistol, the 3-5 favorite, was right alongside Southwind Gendry at three-quarters – which was timed in 1:24 – and looked like he was on the way to an easy win, but he flattened out in deep stretch as driver Brett Beckwith found room along the inside with Avanti to grab a 1½-length win over a fast-closing Effingham as Papis Pistol faded to third. The time for the mile was 1:50.2.
“As usual, with Brett, they got a perfect trip,” said Engblom. “He trained a very nice mile at the farm last week but maybe he was a little better tonight than I expected.”
So, Per, how did you acquire the 4-year-old gelded son of Rockin Image-Sayulita?
“One of my long-time partners, Evan Katz, owned a piece of this horse and approached me if I wanted to try him, and eventually Engblom Farm bought a piece of him.”
It appears Avanti is a horse who could make a lot of money racing in overnights, as he’s now won eight of 42 lifetime outings, good for earnings of $281,657. As the 16-1 fifth choice in the betting, he returned $35.60 to win.
A LITTLE MORE: Joe Bongiorno led the driver colony with four winners. … Big M TV veteran Dave Little treated his followers to a big night at the windows, selecting seven winners on top, including Whammer Jammer (1st race, $5.60 to win, $47 exacta), Gobstopper (2nd race, $11.20 to win, $38.80 daily double) and Go Long (9th race, $16.80 to win, $56.80 exacta, $148.60 trifecta). … All-source betting totaled $2,125,571 on the 15-race program. … Racing resumes Friday at 6:35 p.m.
