Dismissed at a lush 16-1, Gokudo Hanover followed live cover before brushing through the lane to score the upset in Saturday’s $20,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows.
Gokudo Hanover was sixth down the backside when he picked up the first-over cover of Believeinthespirit. Eric Goodell sent the five-year-old Cams Card Shark-Gifted Yankee gelding wide out of the final turn, and he soared by the leader, Mykindachip, to triumph in 1:53 over a “good” surface. Kingofthejungle shot the Lightning Lane for second, half a length back, while Hawks Red Chief rallied for show.
Doug Hamilton trains Gokudo Hanover, who vaulted over $200,000 in career earnings, for Sandbur Farms, Valarie Sutton and Joseph Hemingway.
The win was one of four for Merriman on the 12-race card.
On Monday, Feb. 13, The Meadows Racetrack & Casino will offer a $20,000 total-pool guarantee for its Pick 5 wager as part of the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Initiative. The Meadows added the “instant” guarantee after Saturday’s Pick 5 was uncovered, resulting in a two-day carryover of $8,563.56.
In addition, Monday’s card includes a $5,000 total-pool guarantee for the Pick 4, a regular feature of each program at The Meadows. Minimum wager for the Pick 4 (races four through seven) and Pick 5 (races nine through 13) is 50 cents. Since Pennsylvania law requires a minimum per-race wager of $2, a player wagering at the 50-cent level must bet at least four tickets.
First post for Monday’s program is 1 p.m.
(The Meadows)