Frustrated by four straight races in which his huge first-over bids came up a touch short, Guido Di took matters into his own hands on Thursday, July 18 at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, leading at every call to capture the $21,200 Open Handicap Trot.

Brady Brown sent Guido Di to the point from post three, where the five-year-old Wishing Stone-Focus On Me gelding easily thwarted the challenge of the first-over Commander Frank and the Lightning Lane bid of the 7-5 favourite, Tequila Talkin. Guido Di triumphed in a career-best 1:52, 1-3/4 lengths better than Tequila Talkin, with the ground-saving Good Feeln To Know third.

Steve Schoeffel trains Guido Di, who now boasts a career bankroll of $335,042, for Kathy Schoeffel, Lewis Falton and Marian Schilling. The time of the mile was two-fifths of a second off the track standard for older trotting geldings.

Aaron Merriman piloted four winners and Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. three on the 15-race card.

The Meadows will not offer live racing Friday due to an on-track event, but when live racing returns Saturday, July 20, it will do so in a big way — with eliminations for the $400,000 USD Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids. Saturday’s card also features a pair of stakes for freshman colt and gelding pacers — a $192,108 USD Pennsylvania Sires Stake and divisions of the PA Stallion Series totaling $120,000 USD. On the wagering front, the card includes a $2,048.52 carryover in the Pick 5 (race 11). First post is 12:45 p.m.

(Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)