Terror Of the Nite rolled to victory in a career-best 1:54.1 to notch his third straight in the Walter Russell Memorial Pace at The Meadows, one of seven wins for Dave Palone on the Tuesday program.
Palone gave Terror Of The Nite — the 1-9 favourite — a comfortable 58.2 front half, and when the four-year-old son of Western Terror-Her Odyssey sprinted home in 55.4, he assured that he would be positioned for a series sweep. The pocket-sitting Native Dude was second, 7-1/2 lengths back, with Hickory Terrific third.
Ron Burke trains Terror Of The Nite for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Phillip Collura.
Heavenly Knox scored in a sizzling 1:52.4 in the other $12,000 split in Tuesday’s third leg of the series for three- and four-year-old colts, stallions and geldings. The championship legs of the Walter Russell and three other current series at The Meadows are set for Friday, March 27, first post 6:55 PM.
Tuesday’s card also featured a pair of top trots. In the $22,500 Filly & Mare Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap, Cowgirl Hall looked sharp off a three-month layoff, collecting a front-end victory in 1:54.4. Whata Donato, who was used hard early, held on for place, 4-1/4 lengths in arrears, while Anaffairtoremember rallied for show. Palone drove the six-year-old daughter of Cash Hall-Centerfold Hall, who now boasts $658,993 in lifetime earnings, for Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Jack Piatt III and Michael Rosenthal.
In the $18,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap, Daylon Miracle relished her status as the only female in the field -- and the 7-5 favourite -- as she dueled for the early lead before cruising home for Aaron Merriman in 1:55.1, 2-1/4 lengths ahead of TSM Photo Bugger. Tamarind completed the ticket. Bill Bercury owns and trains Daylon Miracle, a six-year-old daughter of Pegasus Spur-Daylon Marvel who extended her career bankroll to $423,197.
(Meadows)