Hillexotic lowered the all-time trotting track record at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows with an exceptional 1:50.3 triumph in the $24,658 Open Handicap Trot on Friday, July 25.

Driven by Dave Palone, Hillexotic sprinted to command from post seven and the 1-2 favourite led an eight-horse field through sizzling fractions of :26.3, :55.1 and 1:22.2 before trotting away by 7-1/4 lengths in a :28.1 final frame. Emeralds Legacy (Jeremy Indof) was his closest pursuer from the pocket while Looks Like A Moni (Anthony MacDonald) won a three-way battle for third.

The previous record of 1:51.1 was held by the Gregg Wright-trained Jujubee and the late Hunter Myers, set on July 28, 2023.

Hillexotic, a nine-year-old Muscle Hill-Exotic Destination gelding, is trained by Todd Luther and owned by Greg Luther Racing of Blacklick, Ohio. The millionaire trotter has won back-to-back Opens at The Meadows and is now three-for-seven on the year, with 33 career wins to his credit.

The Meadows' twilight card included five $27,397 divisions of the Arden Downs Stakes for two-year-old trotters.

Driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. swept the Arden Downs Stakes for two-year-old filly trotters, named in honour of U.S. Hall of Famer and former owner of The Meadows Ed Ryan.

Wendalyn Hanover and Wrenn went down the road to record a 2-3/4-length victory in 1:55.3 over Skylines Salty (Mike Wilder), with Edinburgh Hanover (Dave Palone) third. 

“I qualified her early on and thought a lot of her and that’s what she showed today,” said Wrenn after of the Greenshoe-Won And Done filly’s initial victory in her third career start. 

Trained by Vernon Beachy, Wendalyn Hanover is owned by 518 Group LLC, Ryan Smith and Gitup Racing.

Wrenn doubled up as Ginger Tree Alex earned her fourth straight stakes win with a 1:56 career-best effort in the next division over Snow Queen Hanover (Todd Schadel) and Sweating Bullets (Dave Palone). 

Following the uncontested front-end victory, Wrenn described the Bar Hopping-Perfect Choice filly as “a legit stakes filly and her performance this evening really displayed that.”  

Ginger Tree Alex now has four wins in five lifetime starts for trainer Sam Beegle, who also shares ownership with Ginger Tree Ventures, Knollview Stable 2 and Robert Reber Jr.

Wrenn completed the sweep of the filly trotting divisions using front-end tactics again, this time with Intisaar Mil. After retaking the lead early from Cherrys Girl (Anthony MacDonald), the Bar Hopping-Frisky Magic miss needed only minimal Wrenn urging to keep that rival 1-3/4 lengths at bay in a career-best 1:56.2 mile. Avianna Hanover (Mike Wilder) completed the top three.

“She’s a nice filly that keeps getting better with experience," Wrenn said of the second winner trained by Beachy for the ownership group of 518 Group LLC, Ryan Smith and Gitup Racing. 

The Arden Downs Stakes for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters, named for local Hambletonian-winning owner Robert Key, provided more drama than the filly set. 

Driver Shawn Johnston and trainer Steve Schoeffel teamed up for the biggest upset of the evening with a 46-1 stunner with Tymal Kryptonite. The Greenshoe-Romancing Rachel gelding landed third in the early going and never left the rail, with multiple breakers working in his favour. He scored the maiden-breaking victory in 1:56.3 by a length over pacesetter Captain Vodka (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), with Storm Hanover (Todd Schadel) third.

"Everything went our way,” said Johnston after the race. "He was on the right line and when the pocket-sitter ran, I could guide to the inside passing lane.”  

Tymal Kryptonite is owned by Kathy Schoeffel and Lewis Falton.

The second division produced the closest finish as Mr Big Spender, driven by Mike Wilder, was a head better than the fast-closing R Tommy Collins (Tom Svrcek) in 1:57.1, with Beer In My Hand (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) back in third.

“I was comfortable where we landed early on but I re-moved to be in the best position to work,“ said Wilder of the front-end trip. “Svrcek’s colt was trotting hard at me late but we were still in hand.” 

Conditioned by Norm Parker for the partnership of Bart and Todd Brice, the Captain Corey-Reilly K colt earned his third straight stakes win in four career starts.

Adios Day racing on Saturday, July 26 starts at 11:30 a.m.

(Meadows Standardbred Owners Association & Standardbred Canada; photo of Hillexotic from a previous win at Meadowlands Racetrack)