Hammered down to 2-5, Good Deal justified that heavy support as he rolled to a front-end victory in Friday’s $22,000 championship of the Wilbur Zendt Memorial Pace for three- and four-year-old horses, colts and geldings at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

A three-year-old Sweet Lou-Cut A Deal gelding, Good Deal was well staked at two and responded by hitting the ticket in seven of 10 starts. Thus, he seemed more than qualified for the Wilbur Zendt late-closing series, and the results in the final showed it.

After Dave Palone gave him a 29.3 second-quarter breather, he was able to withstand the Lightning Lane challenge of the pocket-sitting Pack Your Bags and defeated him by half a length in 1:53.4. Treasurer Delight completed the ticket.

Ron Burke trains Good Deal for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, J&T Silva – Purnel&Libby and Larry Karr. It was one of four wins for Palone on the 11-race card.

Friday’s “must pay” Jackpot Pick 5 generated a pool exceeding $104,000 and multiple winning tickets returning $281.18.

Live harness racing at The Meadows resumes Wednesday when the 11-race program features an $11,102.28 carryover in the final-race Super Hi-5. First post is 12:45 p.m.

(MSOA)