Major Athens waltzed through a soft front half that enabled him to cruise to victory in Wednesday’s $22,500 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows.

When Tony Hall gave Major Athens opening fractions of :29.3/:59.2, the six-year-old son of Andover Hall-Miss Athens had little trouble thwarting the first-over challenge of Tamarind and scoring in 1:56.4. The pocket-sitting Keystone Chester finished second, one and three-quarter lengths back, with Redder Than Red third.

Rich Gillock trains the homebred Major Athens, who now boasts $470,585 in career earnings, for Thomas Brice and Charles Receski.

Mike Wilder and Hall each collected three wins on the 15-race card.

(The Meadows)