BECKWITH WINS 3, INCLUDING FEATURE, AT BIG M

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Brett Beckwith has been one of a handful of young drivers having an impact in the driver colony at The Meadowlands during the Fall Meeting, and the 20-year-old pilot kept rolling Friday night, making three visits to the winner’s circle, including one with Splash Of Pink, who pulled off an upset in the $17,500 feature for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

Splash Of Pink gave Beckwith his first winner of the night after following live cover to three-quarters before pacing a final quarter of :27 to record a 1¾-length win over Hello Yes Hi. The daughter of All Bets Off-Pink Sheet lowered her previous lifetime-best clocking by two-and-three-fifth seconds after stopping the timer in 1:50.1.

“She was awesome,” said Beckwith. “She’s a sweetheart to drive and she tries her butt off every start. I loved the way she finished up four weeks ago [when third at The Big M] and thought she had a huge shot.”

A Ron Burke student who’s now hit the board in all three Meadowlands starts since shipping east from the Meadows, Splash Of Pink lifted her lifetime stats to six wins from 26 career starts. As the 11-1 fourth choice in the betting, she returned $24.80 to her backers.

Beckwith, whose 27 wins this year are good for 12^th in The Big M driver standings, also scored in the seventh race with 2-5 favorite Sgt Papa Daddy for trainer Bill Mac Kenzie in 1:53.3 in a $7,500 claimer and finished off his three-bagger in the 11^th with 5-2 second choice Mini Rose in 1:53.2 for Brett Derue in a female pace who were non-winners of $3,000 in their last four starts.

TUNE IN EARLY: Saturday night, dial up The Meadowlands feed at 5:20 p.m. as Big M TV’s Jessica Otten and Dave Little will announce the 12 divisional equine winners of the Dan Patch Awards.

A LITTLE MORE: Ron Cushing guided two winners on the card with horses who went to the gate at odds of 7-1 and 13-1 while Vinny Ginsburg also piloted a pair to victory lane. Vandalism, the first of Ginsburg’s winners, paid $188.60 to win in the second race and helped one shrewd player rake the pot in the 20-cent Pick-5 to the tune of $56,617. … All-source wagering on the 14-race card totaled $2,872,028. … Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m.

PHOTO: Splash Of Pink takes the Friday night feature at The Meadowlands, the first of three winners on the program for driver Brett Beckwith. (Credit: Lisa Photo)