Undeterred by Post 9, Hugadragon rushed to the lead for Dave Palone, got it just before the quarter and went on to an easy victory — his fourth straight — in Tuesday’s $22,500 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Pace at the Meadows.

Although Hugadragon had to work hard to wrestle the early lead from Huxley, he reached the half in :56.3 and had plenty left to thwart the first-over bid of Pop Cop.

Hugadragon prevailed in 1:51.1, a length better than Pair A Dice. Western Churchill finished third.

Ron Burke trains Hugadragon, a five-year-old homebred Dragon Again gelding, who extended his career bankroll to $917,783, for Burke Racing Stable.

(Meadows)