EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Better Every Day, beaten a combined 56 lengths in her first three career starts, rallied from off the pace to catch the front-running Creative Thinker at the shadow of the wire by a nose to win the featured $40,000 state-bred sprint for 2-year-old fillies during Friday night’s opening card of the Monmouth at Meadowlands meet.

A daughter of Central Banker trained by Phil Schoenthal, Better Every Day spent her first three career races at Colonia Downs before heading north.

She was 10^th, beaten 25 lengths, in a $50,000 maiden claimer in her last start.

Friday’s maiden special weight race at five furlongs drew a field of seven.

The winning time over a turf course labelled firm was :58.40.

Ridden by Ruben Silvera, Better Every Day broke alertly and settled into third as Creative Thinker took the field to an opening quarter in :22.13 and reached the half in :45.75.

Coming out of the final turn, Silvera found an opening inside while Spirit Powered and Tourist Star, both ahead of Better Every Day at that point in pursuit of Creative Thinker, went wide.

Owned by Virginia Equine, Horseshoe Hill Realty and Kingdom Bloodstock, Better Every Day returned $19.80 to win.

Spirit Powered, another 1¼ lengths back, earned the show spot.

Racing resumes on Saturday night with a six-race, all-turf card starting at 7 p.m.