Jim Pantaleano collected five wins — including three for trainer Norm Parker — on Monday’s 15-race program at The Meadows, perhaps not big news because those guys roll up impressive statistics regularly.
Steve Walters won race 11 with Night Music on the Monday card, and that is big news because Walters was making only his fourth start in a purse race since 2008. His last win came in 2007 at The Meadows.
Ironically, Walters wasn’t originally named on Night Music. But when Tony Hall had to call off his assignments, trainer Jim Rothfuss tabbed Walters to replace him on the three-year-old daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Michelle My Gal, a four-race maiden.
The public wasn’t deterred by Walters’ long absence from the sulky, making Night Music the third choice at 7-2 in the $8,200 Non-Winners of 1 event for fillies and mares. Walters handled her capably and confidently, reaching the lead with a quarter-pole move and rationing her speed. She scored in 1:56.3, a neck ahead of Bettor Than Silk, with Cedar Wapsi Road third.
Michael Ouriel and Howard Ouriel campaign Night Moves.
(The Meadows)