Easy Again roared by his stablemate, Windsong Jack, in the stretch to capture Friday’s $18,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life Handicap Pace at The Meadows, his third consecutive victory.
Windsong Jack was the 4-5 favourite, but apparently Easy Again, sent off at a generous 9-2, forgot to study the toteboard. With the comfortable pocket trip given him by Eric Ledford, he scored in a sharp 1:51.3 on an afternoon when the temperature never climbed out of the low teens. Windsong Jack finished two lengths back in second, with the ground-saving D Mac third.
Twilight Bonfire, a top sophomore last year who banked $669,822 while taking on the division’s best, tired after an abortive first-over move and finished last in the field of six in his four-year-old debut.
Ron Burke trains Easy Again, a five-year-old Dragon Again-Kuklapanandollie ridgling who now boasts $470,521 in career earnings, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, M1 Stable and Panhellenic Stable.
Mike Wilder drove four winners and Aaron Merriman three on the 16-race card.
(The Meadows)