Driver Dave Palone ruled at The Meadows on Friday afternoon, winning seven dashes on the 13-race program, including a gate-to-wire victory in the $25,000 Preferred Pace with Beau Rivage N.
In the featured race of the day, Palone sent the seven-year-old Village Jasper gelding to the front in :27 and they zipped through panels of :56.4 and 1:25.1 en route to a nose score in 1:52.4. Atochia (Mike Wilder) lost the win photo, with Pacey Deucey (Tony Hall) third.
Beau Rivage N pulled off a 25-1 shocker in the first leg of the Presidential at The Big M, but finished sixth in the final. This was his first start for trainer Scot Davidson, who trains for Harry Von Knoblauch. Winning for the 14th time in his career, the gelding pushed his bankroll close to $170,000.
Palone teamed up with leading trainer Ron Burke, who won four in total, to win three races on the day. The duo were successful with Twin B Navigator (1:58.1), Dontlookatthsky (1:53.1) and Amajortime (1:56).
Take Charge Guy (1:57.4), Poncho And Lefty (1:53.2) and Sunset Gentleman (1:57.3) also found the winner’s circle with Palone in the bike.
Palone, who shared the HTA Driver-of-the-Year Award with Tim Tetrick in 2008, has 12,849 lifetime wins.