A 10-race maiden entering the event, Maxine The Mighty unveiled a mighty brush in the lane Wednesday and captured a division of the Mary Wohlmuth Memorial Trot in a sharp 1:56.4 at The Meadows.
Pretty Paper took the other $15,000 second-leg split — her second straight 'Wohlmuth' win — in the series for three- and four-year-old fillies and mares. The series final is next week.
Trainer Zan Kaiser, who had been piloting Maxine The Mighty, tuned the lines over to Brett Miller, who was able to save ground, angle off the cones around the far turn and guide Maxine The Mighty to victory by a head over Itsghostlyoutside. Ameronica was third. Robert Sears owns Maxine The Mighty, a four-year-old daughter of Tagliabue-Excuse My French.
In the $22,500 Preferred Trot, Sharp Edge sustained a determined first-over bid that carried him to victory in a career-best 1:53.4 for Miller, trainer Bruce Riegle and owner Robert Kauffman. Springboard was second, a length back, while early leader Break The Bank K saved show. With the victory, the five-year-old son of Jailhouse Jesse-Ten Queens vaulted over $100,000 in career earnings.
Dave Palone and trainer Ron Burke each enjoyed a four-bagger on the 15-race card while Greg Grismore and Miller fashioned triples. With those four wins, Palone now has 14,991 career victories in his quest for 15,000 -- and Herve Filion’s all-time mark of 15,180.
(The Meadows)