Carolina Beach threw down wicked fractions but made them stand up, capturing his second straight in Friday’s feature at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, a $15,400 conditioned pace.
After quarter-poling to the top for Aaron Merriman, Carolina Beach ripped off panels of :27.1, :54.4 and 1:22 over a 'good' surface. Yet as they turned for home, no rival could reach the eight-year-old Somebeachsomewhere-Laughandbehappy gelding, who triumphed in 1:50.3. Sandbetweenmytoes shot the Lightning Lane for second, beaten a neck, with Sugar Me N third.
Bill Bercury trains Carolina Beach, who extended his lifetime bankroll to $639,137, for Renee Bercury.
Jim Pantaleano collected three wins on the 13-race card.
Tom “Mayhem” Svrcek and Golden Compass seized the lead at the quarter and drew away late to capture Friday’s $7,500 leg of the Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association (GLADA) Trot.
Don “Dooger” MacDougall Jr. (driving Kristysgingergal) got away on top, but once Svrcek moved from the pocket, the race for win was effectively over. Svrcek scored in 1:57.2 over a 'good' surface, 4-3/4 lengths better than Floyd ”Roper” Rhodes (Back Door Man), who was parked every step. Jerry “Duke Of Oil” Kehm (DP Rocket) and “I Dream of Jeannie” Rastetter (Shade Of Grayson) completed the ticket.
Ron Burke trains Golden Compass, a four-year-old Sebastian K-Zette Angel gelding, for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Live harness racing at The Meadows resumes Tuesday when the program features a pair of carryovers — $8,962.97 in the final-race Jackpot Super Hi-5, $1,747.04 in the Early Pick 4. That Pick 4 pool will be guaranteed at $7,500. First post is 12:45 p.m.
(With files from MSOA)