Art N Music exploded from the pocket in the lane and captured his second straight in Saturday’s Walter Russell Memorial Pace at The Meadows. Town Speaker took the other $12,500 second-leg split in the series for three and four-year-old colts, stallions and geldings.

The Walter Russell championship, as well as the finals of three other current series at The Meadows, is set for Saturday, March 25.

Art N Music stalked Dragon Striker for most of the mile before making the winning move for Dave Palone. He prevailed in a career-best 1:55.3 over a sloppy surface, two and three-quarter lengths better than the rallying Sin City Boogie, while Dragon Striker saved show. Ron Burke trains the four-year-old Art Colony-Keystone Musical gelding for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

Town Speaker, who finished third in his series opener, quarter-poled to the front for Dan Rawlings and held off the first-over Gossip Boy to score by a neck in 1:56.3, with Subliminal third. Dirk Simpson conditions the three-year-old Well Said-Town Feather gelding for James Reynolds and Marsha Combs-Skinner.

(The Meadows)