‘CHRISTOPHER’ DANCES PAST FOES AT BIG M
Down Under import Christopher Dance N muscled up to the lead early on the way to leading at every call in the Saturday night feature at The Meadowlands, a $17,500 high-end conditioned pace ...
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- August 30, 2025 -- Down Under import Christopher Dance N muscled up to the lead early on the way to leading at every call in the Saturday night feature at The Meadowlands, a $17,500 high-end conditioned pace.
Driven by Johnathan Ahle for trainer Jeff Cullipher, the 5-year-old son of Sweet Lou-Just Dance went around 1-2 favorite It’s My Show to grab the top at the quarter in the six-horse field while parked in :26.4. Racing over a track that was kind to horses racing on the front end, Christopher Dance N then reached the half in :54.3.
Just after the half, It’s My Show went on a break, leaving Christopher Dance N on a 1½-length lead as he went past three-quarters in 1:23, and after a :26.4 final quarter, Christopher Dance N reported home a much-the-best 4-length winner in a lifetime-best 1:49.4. Stay Grounded was second with Mad Max Hanover third.
“When he won at Chester [on Aug. 17], it was an easier bunch and he got his way pretty easy,” said Ahle. “He faced tougher horses tonight and he did it easy again. I was a little concerned with Mad Max Hanover because he just keeps coming, but I thought I had the jump on him and we’d be OK. I have no complaints with this horse. He does everything right.”
Since his arrival from Australia, Christopher Dance N has won twice from three starts. Owned by Pollack Racing, he’s now won seven of 15 lifetime outings. As the 2-1 second choice, he returned $6.80 to win.
FOUR FOR MONTEMURRO: Nick Montemurro finished second in the eighth edition of the 2025 Meadowlands $1,000 Monthly Handicapping Contest, but it’s likely he’s good with that, as he now has four top-two finishes, meaning he now has four entries in the year-end competition that takes place on December 13. That big-money final has prize money totaling $10,000.
Finishing in the top spot Saturday was Emile Issa, who built his $100 bankroll into $540, which was $15 more than Montemurro’s $525.
The next monthly edition of the contest takes place on October 25.
A LITTLE MORE: Brett Beckwith and Braxten Boyd led the driver colony with three winners each while Jeff Cullipher, Mike Russo and Shane Tritton topped the trainers with a pair of victories apiece. … All-source handle on the 14-race card totaled $2,448,495. … Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m., the first of two weekends of live harness racing before Thoroughbred turf racing takes center stage for a four-week run.