Ready Any Time was set to her task in mid-stretch and responded, just holding off the relentless charge of Barn Girl to capture Wednesday’s (July 11) $18,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows in a career-best 1:53.

Ready Any Time vaulted to the front from post 5 for Dave Palone, but soon faced the first-over challenge of Barn Girl, who was seeking her fourth straight victory. When Palone asked her for more, the five-year-old daughter of Kadabra and Spice Queen found it, edging Barn Girl by a head, with Bessie third.

Ron Burke trains Ready Any Time, who lifted her lifetime bankroll to $161,513, for the Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

Palone, harness racing’s all-time winningest driver, enjoyed a big day with six victories, including one each for trainers Randy Bendis, Scott Betts, Gerald Lee, Jr., Dirk Simpson, Leslie Zendt and Burke. Jim Pantaleano fashioned a triple on the 13-race card.

Live racing at The Meadows resumes Saturday (July 14), with first post at 1:05 p.m.

(The Meadows)