Four Starz Speed not only survived a wicked :26.4 first quarter in Tuesday’s $25,000 Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows, but he set a track record
for four-year-old gelding’s when he stopped the clock in 1:54.
Dave Palone, who enjoyed four wins on the Tuesday program, gunned Four Starz Speed to the front - a tactic that was easy to obtain thanks in part to a break made by 2005 Hambletonian winner, Vivid Photo. Lolique settled into the pocket and challenged in the stretch, falling a nose short. Primo Spur came from far back to finish third.
The mile shaved a fifth of a second off the previous track record established last year by Heza Challenger. It was the fastest mile this year for any four-year-old gelding trotter on a five eighths mile oval and it was a career best for the Ron Burke trainee.
The son of Conway Hall is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Howard Taylor, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and JJK Stables.
In the $25,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Handicap Trot, Im Justa Lady, who had raced just once this year and was dismissed at 15-1, parked the odds-on favourite, Afternoon Dreams, to the quarter pole and then out-kicked her in the lane en route to posting the win.
That ended dreams of an undefeated season for Afternoon Dreams, who had won all five of her 2009 starts - a streak spanning two series at Woodbine. She did manage to grab the runner-up award, just ahead of the third-place finisher, Whotookwhat.
Tony Hall drove Im Justa Lady, an eight-year-old daughter of Inquirer for trainer Bill Daumit and owners Patricia Daumit and Janet Collins. It was the 57th win in 171 career races for Im Justa Lady.
(The Meadows)