Whata Donato blew by the leader, Mistress Valentine, in the Lightning Lane to capture Wednesday’s $22,500 Filly & Mare Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows.
Whata Donato hustled to the front from post eight, but yielded to the pocket behind Mistress Valentine. When trainer/driver Doug Snyder asked Whata Donato for trot in the lane, the five-year-old daughter of Donato Hanover-Donven Promise kicked into gear and scored in 1:58.1 on a “good” surface, three-quarters of a length better than Mistress Valentine. Anaffairtoremember, parked every step in her seasonal debut, was a game third.
Frank Poerio Jr. campaigns Whata Donato, who won for the fourth time in her last seven starts and lifted her career bankroll to $228,360.
In Wednesday’s companion feature, the $18,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Trot, TSM Photo Bugger also used the Lightning Lane to register his first victory in five starts this year.
The eight-year-old SJs Photo-Rewarding Wink gelding triumphed in 1:57.2 for Tony Hall and owner/breeder Ted Tomson. The first-over Classicality was a neck back in second while Daylon Miracle earned show.
TSM Photo Bugger now boasts $467,151 in lifetime earnings.
It was one of three wins for Hall on the 14-race card.
(The Meadows)