Off five months, Mattwestern looked like a filly with a future Friday at The Meadows as she effortlessly captured a division of the Donna Dunn Memorial to launch her sophomore campaign.
Save My Dragon, owned by John Duke Sugg, Dr. Randall Hutchison, and Dr. Robert Hutchison, took the other $12,500 split to give Dave Palone and trainer Ron Burke a sweep of the opening leg.
The series for three and four-year-od fillies and mares honours the memory of the late Donna Dunn, longtime Standardbred owner and the wife of Meadows trainer and USTA Director Walter “Boots” Dunn.
Mattwestern took a mark of 1:53.2 at the Red Mile at two and, based on Friday’s performance, seems likely to eclipse that soon. She moved unhurriedly from the gate for the lead, secured it past the quarter and drew off to score in 1:54.3. R Marie Hanover was second, four lengths back, with Lil Miss Snowflake third. Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC own the daughter of Western Terror-Mattonement.
In the $20,000 Filly & Mare Preferred Trot, RT Sun Poco enjoyed a pocket trip behind Paulette Revere, then blew by her in the lane to down that rival by two lengths in 1:55. Itsghostlyoutside rallied for show. Aaron Merriman drove the seven-year-old Yankee Paco-Sunfest mare for trainer Robert Rougeaux III and Brocious Racing Stable.
(With files from The Meadows)