A rare triple dead heat for win, the first in the 46-year history of The Meadows, occurred in Tuesday’s 10th race when TSM Goldenridge, Serious Damage and Teen Elvis all hit the wire together.
It was the 25th triple dead heat for win in harness racing’s official history, and, with a time of 1:53.4, the fastest ever triple dead heat for win. Prior to Tuesday, the fastest triple dead heat for win, 1:57, took place at Rosecroft Raceway on Oct. 10, 1992.
The dramatic finish in the race for $20,000 conditioned claimers was set up when TSM Goldenridge, in front by a narrow margin with Dave Palone driving, tried to fend off the inside charge of Serious Damage (Kyle Bolon) and the late outside rally of Teen Elvis (Dick Stillings). Their triple dead heat for win was the first in harness racing since Feb. 28, 2008, when it occurred at Saratoga Raceway.
Timely Topic was a nose away from making it a quad dead heat, which would have been a harness racing first.
In the $25,000 Preferred Handicap Trot, Primo Spur and Stillings, dismissed at better than 13-1, scored in front-end fashion in 1:54.4, a head better than Four Starz Speed. Lolique, who raced well first over, was third. Stillings trains the five-year-old gelded son of Pegasus Spur-T Tars Shawdowmio who pushed his career earnings past $300,000, for Roy Davis.
Palone drove seven winners on the 13-race card, while Ron Burke fashioned a training five-bagger.
(The Meadows)