Better Caviar remained undefeated in his three-race career — although he needed help at the wire — when he captured a division in Monday’s opening leg of the Ken Weaver Memorial Trot at The Meadows
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Walltocousins took the other $15,000 split in the series for three and four-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
The series is named for the late Ken Weaver, longtime Meadows trainer who also was a fixture for decades on the Pennsylvania Fairs circuit.
Dan Rawlings sent Better Caviar on a long uncovered move that appeared would fall short of the leader, Well Schooled. But when Well Schooled broke stride in deep stretch, Better Caviar persevered and scored in 1:58, fastest this year by a sophomore trotter on a five-eighths-mile track. Andoversure was promoted to second, 2-1/2 lengths back, while Well Schooled was disqualified from second and placed third.
David Wade trains Better Caviar, a son of SJs Caviar-Better Credit, and owns with Gerald Brittingham, Kelley Rogers and William F. Peel III.
Walltocousins made the lead with a powerful quarter-pole move for Mike Wilder and drew off to triumph by 4-1/2 lengths in 1:59.1. A Shoe In and Game Changer completed the ticket. Roy Mac Davis trains the three-year-old Cantab Hall-Ob La Da gelding for Brent Davis.
In the $22,500 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Pace, Handsome Prince held off a spirited charge by PJ Count On Luck, a converted claimer, to down that rival by three-quarters of a length in a career-best clocking of 1:52. Object of Art finished third. Dave Palone reined the 6-year-old Grinfromeartoear-Nova Princess gelding, who soared past $300,000 in lifetime earnings, for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and M1 Stable LLC.
Palone drove five winners — four for Burke — on the 15-race card while Brett Miller enjoyed a driving four-bagger.
(The Meadows)