Three divisions of the Hickory Smoke for three-year-old trotting colts highlighted the Saturday (May 11) action at The Meadows.

The action started in the seventh race when longshot Ginger Tree Skyr and driver Dan Rawlings (subbing for the injured Andy Miller) pulled off the upset in 1:55. Owned by Ginger Tree Ventures and Don Marean, the three-year-old Explosive Matter colt collared front-runner Demon Onthe Hill in mid-stretch to cruise to victory. The winner sat seventh through the quick :56.2 first half before picking up horses on the backstretch. Capt Chaps Hanover, favoured at 2-5, was second with Explosive Magic grabbing third. Sam Beegle trains Ginger Tree Skyr, who was making his 2019 debut and increased his lifetime earnings to $121,553 in the process.

The second division went to the 2-5 favourite Osterc. The defending two-year-old PASS champion, fresh off a victory last week in the Dexter Cup at Freehold Raceway, was an easy winner in 1:55.2. The Per Engblom-trained and Yannick Gingras-driven Cantab Hall colt is now two-for-two in 2019 and pushed his lifetime earnings over the $314,000 mark. Klutzy grabbed second with Fashion Possessed rounding out the trifecta.

The fastest of the three divisions occurred in the ninth race the final division of the Hickory Smoke. Gingras returned to the winner's circle after a wire-to-wire win behind Goes Down Smooth. The Muscle Hill gelding never had an anxious moment, using the rail to his advantage and setting pedestrian fractions of :29 and :58.3 to the half before trotting the back half in :56. Trained by Ron Burke, Goes Down Smooth now has four wins in five seasonal starts and is riding a three-race win streak to lift his lifetime earnings over the $90,000 plateau. Chiplosive followed the winner home with Papi Hanover finishing third.

On the undercard, there were three divisions of The PA Stallion Series for three-year-old trotting colts. Brian Sears captured the first two divisions with heavy favourites Raceace and Lapped By Lindy. Kates Massive was the dominant winner in the third division winning by six lengths in the quickest of the three divisions, scoring in 1:55.3 for driver Dave Palone and trainer Kelly Paver.

(with files from The Meadows)