Last in the field of six at the half, Kiwi Pres rallied through the lane and scored in Wednesday’s (Dec. 12) Holiday Claiming Series for $20,000 claiming trotters at The Meadows. Campbellini took the other $15,000 opening-leg division.

Kiwi Pres trailed by 7-1/2 lengths when Dave Palone sent him on his trek to the front. The seven-year-old The Pres-Kristalvagen N gelding gobbled up leader Royal Surprise at the top of the lane and held off the late-trotting Nothing But Muscle by a length in 1:57.3. Invested In Lindy finished third. Thomas Stamper trains and owns Kiwi Pres, who lifted his lifetime bankroll to $152,190.

In the other division, Campbellini stalked IC Caviar from the pocket, then roared by outside in deep stretch and downed him by a neck in 1:57.4, with Teddy Brosevelt third. Aaron Merriman piloted the four-year-old Cantab Hall-Victory Jewel gelding for trainer Brewer Adams and owner Adams Racing LLC.

Wednesday’s card also featured two $8,000 opening-leg splits of a Holiday Claiming Series for $10,000 claiming trotters, with Mutinyonthebounty and Fantasy Rocket taking the honours.

Jim Pantaleano collected three wins on the 13-race program.

This week, The Meadows is kicking off six Holiday Claiming Series that conclude on a special New Year’s Eve card that also features the career finale of Foiled Again, the richest Standardbred all time with earnings exceeding $7.5 million. First post Dec. 31 is 5:30 p.m.

Live racing at The Meadows resumes at 1:05 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 15), when the card includes a $1,436.13 Pick-5 carryover and a $778.50 carried-over jackpot in the final-race Super Hi 5.

In addition, the track and the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association (MSOA) will host their annual holiday party featuring handicapping contests, giveaways, games and a visit from everyone’s favourite reinsman, Santa Claus. For more information or to register for any activities, stop by the MSOA table in the Racebook.

(The Meadows)