Brue Hanover made up 1-1/2 lengths in the Lightning Lane and scored in 1:49.1, matching the stakes record in Friday’s $69,100 Keystone Classic at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Muskateer Hanover also used the Lightning Lane to capture the other division in the $69,100 event for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers.
It was the final day of the 2023 stakes season at The Meadows, and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and trainer Ron Burke made the most of it. Burke started 18 horses over the 14-race card and won six races — four with Wrenn aboard. Hunter Myers and Dave Palone also enjoyed big days with three victories apiece.
Brue Hanover sprinted to the early lead but soon found himself second behind Fulton, who was hard used from post eight. But even as Tip Top Cat took the point first-over, winning driver Brady Brown was confident of his chances.
“I knew I would get down in the passing lane pretty early because the horse on the lead was kind of bearing out, so I knew I would get a straight shot earlier,” said Brown. “I thought I’d run them down pretty quick.”
The Stay Hungry-Blind Ambition gelding, who has earned $161,942 for Burke and owner Brad Grant, downed Tip Top Cat by a half-length while Ervin Hanover finished third to give Burke a sweep of the top three spots. Brue Hanover’s time matched the record I Like Dreamin established in 2012.
The scenario was similar for Muskateer Hanover as he brushed through the Lightning Lane to prevail in a career-best 1:49.4 for Myers and Burke. Just Bet It All rallied for second, beaten 1-1/4 lengths, with early leader Idiosyncratic third.
“He kind of bears in a little bit in the last turn, so as soon as I got some room, I was trying to get down in there as fast as I could go,” said Myers. “I knew it was a good spot.”
Burke Racing Stable, Jim Simpson, Bridgette Jablonsky and Wingfield Five campaign the Sweet Lou-Marinade Hanover gelding.
Late For Dinner, Utopia Blue Chip and Beach Cowgirl each took a split of the $78,100 Keystone Classic for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Late For Dinner, the 6-5 favourite in her division, surrendered the early lead to C Is For Cookie but moved outside in the stretch drive for Wrenn to defeat her by a half-length in 1:50.3, the fastest win in her career. Racin Hungry completed the ticket.
Wrenn said he much preferred an outside route to the Lightning Lane.
“She was drifting out a little bit,” he said. “I think she would have gone up the passing lane, but I preferred the outside. She seemed a little more comfortable doing that. I thought she’d pace a little bit more that way.”
Burke trains the daughter of Stay Hungry-Ubettergo for owner/breeder William Donovan.
Utopia Blue Chip, on the other hand, was more than happy to use the Lightning Lane for Drew Monti, triumphing by 1-1/2 lengths in a career-fastest 1:50.3. The first-up Knights Tale and Hungry Lizzo rounded out the ticket.
“I knew I would have enough racetrack,” Monti said of the daughter of Sweet Lou-Reign On Me. “I was concerned about the leader, who looked a little bit empty going into the last turn. But I thought she had enough to get me to the Lightning Lane. Got lucky — we’ll take it.”
Hunter Oakes conditions Utopia Blue Chip for D Racing Stable Inc., B And I Stables LLC, Donald MacRae and Earl Hill Jr.
Beach Cowgirl won her division in 1:51.1 with Hunter Myers aboard for trainer Jenn Bongiorno. The Captaintreacherous-Stonebridge Sundae filly bested To All A Goodnight by 1-1/4 lengths, with Hello Yes Hi third.
The winner's owners are Joseph Di Scala Jr., Zippett Racing Stable, Scarlett Stables LLC and Jaf Racing LLC.
For the fourth time this year, Tom “Mayhem” Svrcek captured a $10,000 leg of the Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association (GLADA) Trot at The Meadows. It happened Friday when Svrcek teamed with Whiskey Lindy, who has provided Mayhem with three of those four wins.
Bob “Saint” Barnard (Alana Hill) pocketed Svrcek early, a position that sometimes can be troublesome for the front-end-loving Whiskey Lindy.
“He was confortable in the pocket,” said Svrcek. “As long as he’s placed forwardly, he’s competitive. If he gets too far off, he kind of gives it up. When I was in the turn, I thought I had a ton of trot. But when those horses looked eye to eye, he struggled a little bit. But he got up.”
Barnard raced gallantly, but Svrcek prevailed by a neck in 1:56.4. Scott “Bomber” Betts (Muscle Hall) and Floyd “Roper” Rhodes (Back Door Man) finished third and fourth, respectively.
Bryce Brocklehurst trains Whiskey Lindy, a nine-year-old Cantab Hall-Rum Boogie gelding, for owners Janet Collins and Svrcek.
With its stakes season completed, The Meadows next week will introduce its fall-winter schedule, which features live cards each Wednesday, Thursday and Friday kicking off at 12:45 p.m. each day. When live racing resumes on Wednesday, the program will offer a $1,048.05 carryover in the Early Pentafecta (race four).
(With files from Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)