It was Goliath vs. Goliath in Wednesday’s $22,500 Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows, with Winning Mister slaying Sir Caviar in the season’s first match-up of the track’s top two older trotters

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Each entered the battle with impeccable credentials. Winning Mister had taken on elite competition at such tracks as Harrah’s Chester, Woodbine Racetrack and Hoosier Park, winning seven of nine 2012 races, while Sir Caviar had captured 14 of his last 20 outings but was starting for only the second time this year.

Winning Mister quickly erased the disadvantage of post nine by vaulting to the front for Dave Palone, who was able to give the six-year-old son of Angus Hall-Winning Missbrenda a :30 second quarter breather. That was all he needed to thwart the late charge of Sir Caviar and defeat him by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.2.

Rich Gillock trains Winning Mister, who now boasts $920,120 in career earnings, for owner-breeder Bob Key.

In the second leg of the Action Broadway Trot for three-year-old fillies, Cocktail Attire made it two straight with a first over victory in a career-best 1:57.2 for Tony Schadel and trainer Linda Schadel, who own the daughter of Broadway Hall-Doitwithclass. Taylor Jean was second, half a length back, with Solo Flight K third.

Court Street and Ticket To Broadway also took $15,000 divisions in the series, which concludes with next Wednesday’s final.

(With files from The Meadows)