Rallying four-wide past the three-quarters, Gung Ho had little trouble with the extra distance — or the off going — and comfortably captured Friday’s feature at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, a $21,127 conditioned pace.
A runner-up in the Open class last week, Gung Ho was fourth-over in Friday's feature when winning driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. decided the excess cover wasn’t getting him where he wanted to go. Once Wrenn showed Gung Ho racetrack, the four-year-old Captaintreacherous-Silky gelding exploded, overwhelming the leader, Mantador, and prevailing in 1:52.1. Matador held second, beaten 3-1/4 lengths, with Saulsbrook Genesis third.
Ron Burke trains Gung Ho, who has $246,261 in career earnings, for Burke Racing Stable, Elizabeth Jones, M1 Stable and Beasty. The winner returned $4.20.
Wrenn and Burke teamed up for three wins on the 13-race card, also scoring with a pair of streaking three-year-olds. They combined with pacing gelding War Machine ($2.80), who won his third straight race in a 1:53 mile, and filly trotter Final Text ($2.20), an Indiana Sires Stakes graduate who has been perfect in three starts since joining the Burke barn with her latest in 1:56.4.
Live harness racing at The Meadows resumes on Wednesday when the U.S. Thanksgiving Eve program features 15 races. First post is 12:45 p.m.
(With files from Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)