Return Of The Sith saved ground for most of the mile, then flew into contention late to pull off a 13-1 shocker in the second leg of the Tom Kirwan Memorial Pace for three-year-old colts and geldings Saturday, April 14 at The Meadows.

Return Of The Sith was third at the top of the lane when Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. angled him off the cones for racing room. He held off Antagonist by a neck to score in 1:53.4, with early-leader His Excellence third. Norm Parker trains the son of Bettor’s Delight-Gothic Lady for Megan Rogers Racing Stables.

On Saturday afternoon, April 21, The Meadows will host the $25,000 (est.) finals of four current late-closer series, including the Tom Kirwan.

In the $20,000 Preferred Handicap Pace, Phoenix Warrior N rallied from sixth to score in a career-best 1:50.3 for Jeremy Indof, trainer Scott Betts and owners Timothy Betts, Nicholas Catalano and Stephen Moss. The eight-year-old Jereme’s Jet-Never Walk Alone gelding now boasts $246,993 in career earnings.

Aaron Merriman, harness racing’s “winningest” driver in each of the past three seasons, enjoyed a big day with six wins on the 12-race card.

(With files from The Meadows)