Overcoming a terrible draw, Wrinkle Hanover found the pocket early, then kicked past the heavy favourite late to win a division of the Early Call, a series for three and four-year old filly and mare pacers, Friday at The Meadows.
Despite leaving from post position 9, Mike Wilder hustled Wrinkle Hanover to a good seat behind Serenity Hanover, who was hammered down to 1-5. Wrinkle Hanover roared by in the stretch, defeating the favourite by a length, with DVC Elegant Beauty third. The time of 1:56 lowered the winner’s lifetime mark 2.2 seconds.
Dan Altmeyer trains Wrinkle Hanover, a three-year-old daughter of Western Hanover-Wet Paint, and owns with Richard Kelson, Heather Wilder and Murray Brown.
JK Reunited took the other $12,000 Early Call split, giving her consecutive wins in the series for Dave Palone. She scored in 1:56.4, 2-1/4 lengths better than Aeronaut. Dixie Dew Bluechip was a rallying third. Ron Burke trains the four-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight-JK On Broadway for Sylvia Burke, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, JJK Stables and M1 Stable.
In the $25,000 Preferred Handicap Pace, Biletnikoff and Aaron Merriman converted a pocket trip to a neck victory in 1:51.3, the fastest mile this year at The Meadows. Martys Charm, rallying strongly off a three-week layoff, was a neck back in second while Ridgeline was third.
Paul Kennedy, Jr. trains Biletnikoff, a five-year-old gelded son of Keystone Raider-Strikadeeze, for Markus Ernst.
To view Friday's results, click here.
(The Meadows)