Lifeintheslammer kept right on rolling Thursday at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, powering to her seventh consecutive win — and a series sweep — in the $18,500 championship of the Mary Wohlmuth Memorial Trot for three- and four-year-old fillies and mares.
Lifeintheslammer injected some drama in the series last week when she was all out to secure a head victory, but that was before it was disclosed she had finished with a flat tire. There was no such nail biting in the final, as Dave Palone floated her to the front after idling outside and kept a tight hold on the four-year-old daughter of Royalty For Life-Tequila Slammer through the wire in 1:55.2, knocking a tick from her lifetime mark.
“Our game plan was to let everybody settle and then move her,” said Palone. “She was well within herself — I never pulled the ear plugs. I can’t wait to see her against the good ones because she won’t embarrass herself. I think she’ll be even better chasing horses down. When she goes to the Meadowlands, she’ll surprise a lot of people.”
Margaretaville again chased the winner home, beaten a half-length, with Caviar On Broadway third.
Trainer Scott Betts, who with his ownership partners Tim Betts, Tar Heel Racing and Stephen Moss, plucked Lifeintheslammer from a show horse auction for $30,000, indicated she’ll get some time off before tackling overnight company at The Meadowlands. She’s also eligible for the Graduate Series at the Meadowlands.
In Thursday’s co-feature, the $19,500 Dale McConnell Memorial Trot championship, Infinity Stone let Hurrikane Williie G do the heavy lifting on the front end, then blew by decisively in the lane to defeat him by two lengths in a career-best 1:55.4. Betterinpinehurst completed the ticket.
Dana Kahrig, who conditions the four-year-old Il Sogno Dream-Magic Factory gelding for Kahrig Racing Stable, Cache Is King LLC and Paul Hershberger, said he’s been a sweetheart on and off the track since his recent acquisition.
“We bought him privately in Canada a couple months ago,” she said. “He’s all heart. He gives you everything he has every time he hits the racetrack. He’ll just stay here and keep winning races, hopefully.”
In the $16,000 Filly & Mare Open Handicap Pace, Game Of Shadows led every step to triumph for Hunter Myers, trainer Paul Corey and owner Kennth Ashba in 1:52.3 and lift her lifetime bankroll over the $200,000 mark. Tonianne and Amelias Courage A completed the ticket.
Merriman collected three wins on the 11-race card.
Live racing at The Meadows continues Friday when the program features a mandatory payout in the Jackpot Pick 5 (race four), where the carryover is $30,687.49. Also featured is an $8,686.49 carryover in the final-race Super Hi-5. (Unlike the payout for the Jackpot Pick 5, the payout for the Super Hi-5 is not “must pay.”) On the racing front, the 11-race card is highlighted by the $22,000 championship of the Wilbur Zendt Memorial Pace for three- and four-year-old horses, colts and geldings. First post is 12:45 p.m.
(With files from MSOA)