Warrawee Yang blazed the back half in :55.4 and held off the late charge of Killer Instinct to capture his second straight $28,649 Open Trot on Friday, March 1 at The Meadows.
Once Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. gave Warrawee Yang a :29.4 second-quarter breather, he was able to parry all outside challenges. But the four-year-old son of Trixton-Endless Flirt had to dig deep to hold off the pocket-sitting Killer Instinct, downing him by a diminishing half length in 1:53.1. Windsong Patriot was a ground-saving third.
Michael Burke trains Warrawee Yang, who extended his career earnings to $145,020, for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
In Friday’s companion feature, the $28,649 Open Handicap Pace, Lunar let his stablemate, Risenshine Seaside, do the heavy lifting on the lead, then kicked by him late for Dave Palone to score in 1:51. Sandbetweenmytoes rallied for place, 2-1/2 lengths back, while Risenshine Seaside saved show.
It was a sweep of the top two races for Burke, as he conditions Lunar for Burke Racing Stable, Phillip Collura, Knox Services and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby. A six-year-old Sweet Lou-Crescent City gelding, Lunar now boasts a lifetime bankroll of $136,885.
Wrenn, Burke and Palone each collected four wins on the 13-race card while Aaron Merriman and trainer Brandon Presto enjoyed triples.
Live harness racing at The Meadows resumes on Wednesday, March 5, with first post at 12:45 p.m.
(Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)