Despite being unexpectedly pushed three-wide early, Devan Miller (Bristol Bay) persevered and won Friday’s (Oct. 13) Lady Drivers’ Championship at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. The event was part of the seventh annual Pink Out staged by The Meadows and the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association to support the American Cancer Society.
Miller was sitting third down the backside and was set to move first up when Mary Birkhold (Beach House) pulled the pocket in front of her. Miller calmly swung into the next path out and defeated Birkhold by a length in 1:54.4. Naquel Harvey and Lauren Harmon completed the ticket. Also participating were Emily Hay, Angela Coleman and Jean Rastetter.
Justin Pirillo trains Bristol Bay, a 12-year-old gelding who pushed his career bankroll to $175,382, for Darius Oshidar and Gianna Pirillo.
$10,000 GLADA Trot
Friday’s event-filled card also featured a $10,000 leg of the Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association (GLADA) Trot, with Bob “Saint” Barnard and Alana Hill scoring a convincing victory.
Barnard seized the early lead and gave Alana Hill a leisurely :59 front half. From there, Barnard had little trouble defeating “Soarin’” Lauren Harmon (Mr Jeff) — fresh off her Lady Drivers’ Championship performance — by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:56.4. Scott “Bomber” Betts (Ripple Of Hope) and Floyd “Roper” Rhodes finished third and fourth, respectively.
Bill Daugherty Jr. trains Alana Hill, a four-year-old daughter of What The Hill-Andis Alana who now has banked $226,018, for lessee Susan Daugherty.
Ervin Hanover Follows Cover, Wins Feature Pace
Ervin Hanover followed the live first-over cover of Double Metal, then blew by him in the lane to take Friday’s feature, a $17,000 conditioned pace.
When Double Metal moved first up to challenge the hard-used leader, Whitecookie, Dave Palone put Ervin Hanover on his bumper. The only three-year-old in the field, Ervin Hanover drew clear in mid-stretch and defeated Double Metal by three lengths in 1:50. The Ideal Dancer A finished third.
Ron Burke trains Ervin Hanover, a son of Captaintreacherous-Eloquent Grace who soared over $300,000 in career earnings, for Burke Racing Stable, J&T Silva Stables, Jim Simpson and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Hunter Myers, Anthony MacDonald and Palone each collected three wins on the 14-race card.
Live racing at The Meadows resumes Wednesday, Oct. 18, with first post at 12:45 p.m.
(Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)