Whiskey Blu survived a demanding opening panel and rolled to a comfortable victory in the James Manderino, a $36,995 Arden Downs Grand Circuit Stake for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters, on Saturday (July 10) at The Meadows.

Capstone, the 3-5 favourite, parked Whiskey Blu past the quarter in :27.3, but winning driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. indicated he wasn’t unduly concerned about that tough early journey.

“I had to steady him to make sure he got through the first turn,” Wrenn said. “But once I got to the lead, I was pretty confident in my horse. I kept his attention late, but he had a lot more trot. He’s nice. There’s a reason he’s already won 11 times this year. I imagine he’d be really good on a big track, but he was strong today.”

Indeed, the 3-year-old Southwind Frank-Kendall Blue gelding never let a threatening outside flow develop, and he held off the "Lightning Lane" charge of Flemsteen to prevail by a length in 1:54.3. Capstone saved show.

Ron Burke trains Whiskey Blu, who was unraced at 2 but now has banked $137,077, for Burke Racing Stable, Kitefield Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

In the $16,000 Open Handicap Pace, Burke and Wrenn teamed again with Macadoodledoo, who erased an 8 1/2-length deficit to score by a length in 1:50.3. Prince Of Tides and Wild Wild Western completed the ticket.

Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi campaign Macadoodledoo, a 6-year-old Somebeachsomewhere-Pirouette Hanover gelding who lifted his lifetime earnings to $280,162.

Burke and Wrenn turned in a sparkling day, winning six and five races, respectively. Their totals are even more impressive when you consider that two of the day’s 13 races were amateur events. Tony Hall also enjoyed a super Saturday with three victories.

Vernon “Day At The” Beachy, driving Shake It Off Lindy, edged past Dante “The Inferno” Scattolini, behind Wilberforce, in a stirring stretch duel to win a division of Saturday’s Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association (GLADA) leg at The Meadows. Stephen “You’re Never Too” Oldford (Blasco) also brushed late to capture the other $9,300 GLADA split.

Away from racing for three years while serving stallion duty in Maine, Shake It Off Lindy had only one win since returning to the wars. Beachy, his trainer and owner, was aware of that when he sent the 7-year-old son of Crazed-Nashville Lindy three wide at the three-quarters.

“When I saw the straightaway, I wasn’t sure we could get there,” Beachy said. “The straightaway is a lot longer here than at Northfield. But he raced really well. I told Oldford before the race that this horse would surprise you guys soon. Today was the day.”

Beachy pursued Scattolini relentlessly and downed him by 1/2 length in 1:56.1, helping Shake It Off Lindy lift his lifetime bankroll to $223,364. Michelle “The Belle” Ruvola (Time Outta Jail) and Oldford (A Royal Line) finished third and fourth, respectively.

Oldford, though, was far from finished. In the second division, he gave Blasco a ground-saving trip, hoping he would have enough racetrack left to catch the leaders.

“He’s not trotting the turns real well, so I had to be careful,” Oldford said. “Last time we were here, he ran on he last turn. So I kept him under wraps until the head of the stretch and turned him loose. I think that horse could go another half mile just like that.”

The 6-year-old Manofmanymissions-Zakanaka gelding did his part. Oldford overtook Jamie “Squirrel” Coffy (Rev It Up Man) in the shadow of the wire and defeated her by a head in 1:57.2. Conditioned by Terry Deters, Blasco now has earned $117,129 for Oldford Racing LLC.

Donald “Douger” MacDougall, Jr. (Cash For Gold) and “Tiny” Tim Miller (Dominus Hanover) completed the ticket.

Live racing at The Meadows resumes Wednesday (July 14) when the program features a pair of stakes for freshmen male trotters — a $125,000 (est) Pennsylvania Sires Stake and a $60,000 (est) PA Stallion Series event — as well as a $14,694.27 carryover in the final-race Super Hi-5. First post is 12:45 p.m. (EDT).

(The Meadows)