Maria Andersson and Celebrity Playboy, the only horse in the field who had raced under saddle this year, used that experience well as they scored a front-end victory in 2:04.1 in Wednesday’s special Racing Under Saddle Invitational at The Meadows.
Andersson and Celebrity Playboy got the early jump on Dana Mock and Keystone Bernard, who chased the winner home but fell three and a quarter lengths short. They were the only finishers in the five-horse field, as Wendy Ross (Dontevenknowmymame) and Julie Allison (Y Dat) broke stride and pulled up, and Nadine Habke (Catch K D) was scratched for refusing to approach the gate.
Ron Burke trains Celebrity Playboy, an eight-year-old Yankee Glide-Clover Mist gelding, for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Twenty per cent of the race’s $6,000 purse was contributed to a Pittsburgh breast cancer awareness program.
Burke, Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi also captured the $22,500 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Pace when N Y Yankees won her third straight for Dave Palone in 1:53.3. The pocket-sitting Tremor Hanover was second by half a length while Hillbilly Desire finished third after a menacing first-over bid.
A four-year-old daughter of The Panderosa-Pan Yankees, NY Yankees extended her career bankroll to $244,608.
Tony Hall drove five winners and Palone three — all for Burke — on the 15-race card.
(The Meadows)