EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Merci paid quick dividends for his new connections, taking command coming out of the final turn on the way to a one-length victory in Saturday’s $45,000 featured allowance during the second night of the Monmouth-at-Meadowlands meet.

Trained by Jose Camejo and ridden by Jomar Torres, Merci was claimed for $35,000 two starts ago out of an Aug. 7 race at Saratoga by Todd White.

The 3-year-old son of Noble Mission-Almina by Macho Uno recorded his second win from six career starts, all on the turf.

The winning time for the one-mile grass test over a course labelled “good” was 1:37.53.

Merci sat a stalking fourth through early fractions of :24.73 and :49.05 before Torres sent the colt after leader Airspeed Velocity. Merci grabbed control coming out of the final turn and then had enough to hold off a late run from Raising Moon. It was a neck back to Kitten Mischief in third.

Merci paid $18.00 to win.

The remaining seven cards of the nine-day Monmouth-at-Meadowlands meet will take place Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 22 with the exception of Saturday, Oct. 15, when Far Hills will feature its 101^st steeplechase meet.

Post time for the Monmouth-at-Meadowlands cards is 7 p.m. Six races will be conducted nightly.