Unraced at two and unheralded at three when he burst on the scene with outstanding performances in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, Wild Wild Western is the 2019 Horse of the Year at The Meadows. He also was named Pacer of the Year and Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pacer of the Year.
Maewegonow, a hard-hitting mare who took on the track’s best all season, was named Trotter of the Year and Older Trotting Mare of the Year.
The awards were announced and presented at Saturday’s “Day of Champions” at The Meadows, when 10 other divisional champions also received their awards. The winners were selected by a vote of Meadows Standardbred Ownership Association (MSOA) members.
Trained by Norm Parker for Jeff Weaver’s Jacobs Creek Racing, Andrew Altobelli and John Deters, Wild Wild Western began his season in late-closing series at The Meadows. With Mike Wilder at the helm, he was so impressive he was promoted to the PASS, where he won a split and finished second in two others. That earned the son of Western Ideal-Caila Fra, a $55,000 yearling acquisition, a ticket to the Adios. He showed he belonged with top competition by finishing third in his elimination and fourth in the final captured by Southwind Ozzie.
He locked horns with Southwind Ozzie again in the PASS final, finishing a more-than-respectable third to the champ. Wild Wild Western won eight times this year and took a mark of 1:51.2, compiling a bankroll of $189,593.
Whether in against fillies and mares or facing the track’s top male trotters, Maewegonow was strong and consistent all year. The five-year-old daughter of Deweycheatumnhowe-Mauresmo, who’s trained by Richard Perfido for Thomas Mattingly, won seven races and more than $95,000 this year to extend her career earnings to $366,456. An $18,000 yearling purchase, she took her life mark of 1:53.4 this year in an Open 2 Handicap that included males.
In Saturday’s racing, Camera Lady blazed the back half in :55.2—over a “good” surface—and notched an easy 1:53.3 victory for Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The winner’s stablemate, McDazzle, finished second, one-and-three-quarter lengths back, with Amelias Courage A third. A five-year-old daughter of Dragon Again-Ann Van Go, Camera Lady now boasts $435,038 in career earnings. Jim Pantaleano, Burke and Wrenn each collected three wins on the 13-race card.
Live racing at The Meadows resumes Monday, Dec. 30 when the program features a mandatory payout of the $105,000.96 jackpot in the final-race Super Hi 5. The day’s final Pick 4, Pick 5 and Superfecta also are “must pay.” First post Monday is 1:05 p.m.
Others receiving Day of Champions awards were:
Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pacer — Dracarys Z
Trainer: Carl Cocciolone; Owners: Carl Cocciolone, Mark Sosovicka, Nick Catalano, Dana Kahrig
Two-Year-Old Filly Pacer — Coral Reef Hanover
Trainer: Dan Altmeyer; Owners: Dan Altmeyer, Richard Kelson; Lone Wolf Stables, Walter Gesek Stable
Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trotter — Stickler Hanover
Trainer: Steve Schoeffel; Owners: Virginia Schoeffel, Kathy Schoeffel, Daniel Goehle, Michael Munn
Two-Year-Old Filly Trotter — Friday Night Storm
Trainer: Ray Romanetti; Owners: Lori Romanetti, Bernadette Luketich-Sikaras
Three-Year-Old Filly Pacer — April Ava
Trainer: Scott Betts; Owners: Nick Catalano, Tim Betts
Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trotter — Explosive Form
Trainer: Norm Parker; Owners: George Romanoff, Mark Goldstein, Norm Parker Stable
Three-Year-Old Filly Trotter — Lindy Misssunshine
Trainer: Wilbur Yoder; Owner Richard Hess
Older Horse Pacer — Dapper Dude
Trainer: Tim Twaddle; Owner: Micki Rae Stables
Older Mare Pacer — Touchamatic
Trainer: Bill Bercury; Owner: Renee Bercury
Older Horse Gelding/Trotter — Bluebird Jesse
Trainer: Sarah Andrews; Owners: John McGill, Adam Friedland
(The Meadows)