Trainer Chris Beaver maintained his impressive success in the Currier & Ives when he sent out Spaaaanzano to win in his $67,023 division of the race at on Saturday, June 15 at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

Since 2002, Beaver has won the Currier & Ives — counting filly and open divisions — seven times. While he didn’t claim ownership of the event on Saturday, he certainly extended the lease. Once Aaron Merriman put Spaaaanzano on top, he had only to deflect the mild first-up challenge of Reggianito, who ultimately broke stride, and cruise home under wraps by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:53.3. Memorynimagination and Bird And Grenade rounded out the ticket.

“I was 100 per cent under wraps,” confirmed Merriman. “I know Chris won’t over-race him, but I think he’ll give this guy some opportunities against Grand Circuit horses. This horse has done everything that’s been asked of him.”

Entering the Currier & Ives, a number of factors marked Spaaaanzano as the horse to beat. For one, he’d already banked $409,137 in his career. For another, he’d recently taken the $136,986 Battle of Bunker Hill at Plainridge Park and finished second in a pair of Ohio Sire Stakes. Beaver co-owns the Coraggioso-Grace N Charlie gelding with Spaaaartners of Ballston Spa, N.Y., Bill Manes of Rockwood, Ont., and Leo Fleming of Campbellville, Ont.

Merriman offered some insight into the colt’s name and why it contains four consecutive 'A's.

“They knew I’d be driving him, and my name starts with two 'A's,” he said. “They wanted two 'A's for him, and they just combined them.”

It took a gritty, sustained first-over move to do it, but Splendid extended his winning streak to seven in the other division of the 50th edition of the stakes for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters. 

Splendid’s previous six wins in his streak came off a variety of trips, but in the Currier & Ives — away fourth with no cover in sight — it appeared that the streak was in jeopardy. Winning driver Chris Lems, though, was confident in the ability of the son of Father Patrick-Long Island Tea to triumph from that spot.

“He’ll do it however you want to do it,” said Lems. “He does it pretty much on his own. Actually, when everybody’s driving hard on his horse, it makes him go more.”

Splendid lived up to expectations, The colt down early leader E Pass in deep stretch, then held off the Lightning Lane charge of Father Mike to down him by 1-3/4 lengths in a career-best 1:53.4. Im Out rallied for show. Splendid boosted his lifetime bankroll to $131,049.

Todd Rooney, who trains Splendid and is co-owner with April Mance’s Trotting For Bourbon, indicated he intends to give the colt a month off... maybe.

“There are some races for him at Oak Grove, so I have to give it some thought,” said Rooney. “I’ll probably give him a well-deserved break.”

In Saturday’s $26,301 Open Handicap Trot, Tequila Talkin survived a surprising first-over bid from longshot Guido Di and notched his third straight victory. He edged Guido Di by a nose in 1:53.1, with early leader Emeralds Legacy finishing third. Ronnie Wrenn Jr. piloted the nine-year-old Cantab Hall-Margarita Nights gelding to victory. Tequila Talkin vaulted over $630,000 in lifetime earnings for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

Dave Palone and Wrenn each collected four wins on the 13-race card, while Merriman enjoyed a triple.

Live harness racing at The Meadows resumes on Wednesday, with the first post set for 12:45 p.m.

(With files from Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)