In the Silky Sullivan style that has become his signature, Valentowner blazed the back-half in a first-over :54.4 to capture his fourth straight in Tuesday’s $25,000 Winners Over $10,000/Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows
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Valentowner, who has erased deficits of at least six and one-half lengths in each win in the streak, moved uncovered down the backside for Mike Wilder after the leader, Upfront Hannahsboy, and nailed him by a nose on the wire in a career-best clocking of 1:51.2. Sand Benelli was third.
Jim Arledge, Jr. trains both Valentowner and Upfront Hannahsboy, giving him two consecutive sweeps in the track’s top pace. Bob Key bred and owns Valentowner, a five-year-old son of Towners Big Guy-Keys Valentine who pushed his career bankroll beyond $300,000.
The card also featured two $15,000, second-leg divisions of the Lookout Hanover for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers. Go Get Em took his split in facile, front-end fashion, scoring for Dave Palone in 1:52.3, equaling the fastest mile this year by a sophomore gelding on a five-eighths mile track.
The pocket-sitting Totally Empressive finished second, four lengths in arrears, while I Like It Hot was third. Ervin Miller Stable, Benita Simmons, Leland Mathias and Bert Hochsprung own Go Get Em, a son of Four Starzz Shark-Shes The One who took his second straight in the series.
Arledge, Key and Palone teamed to win the other division with Picture Me, who cruised on the lead despite being parked out the first quarter. A son of The Panderosa-Ladys Portrait, Picture Me triumphed in a career-best clocking of 1:54.1. Dallenbach Hanover was just over two lengths back in second, with Tyber Shark third.
Brett Miller drove four winners and Palone three on the 14-race program.
(The Meadows)