Icanflylikeanangel held off challengers inside and out as he toughed out a victory in Thursday’s $17,600 Open Handicap Trot at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

Icanflylikeanangel enjoyed a :29.1 second-quarter breather — and he needed it when confronted in mid-stretch by Perlucky outside and the pocket-sitting Keystone Chaos in the Lightning Lane. But the eight-year-old Archangel-Fox Valley London gelding dug deep for Mike Wilder and prevailed in 1:53.4, half a length better than Keystone Chaos, with Perlucky third.

Randy Bendis trains the winner, who extended his lifetime bankroll to $582,447, and owns with Pollack Racing LLC.

Aaron Merriman, Dave Palone and Wilder each piloted three winners on the 12-race card.

Live racing at The Meadows continues Friday when the 13-race program features a pair of carryovers — $16,098.96 in the final-race Super Hi-5, $6,905.78 in the Jackpot Pick 5 (race four).  The day’s events also include wiener dog races, Family Fun Night and the kickoff of the Greater Pittsburgh Food Truck Festival. First post is 5:10 p.m.

(MSOA)