Hammered down to 1-9, Good Deal looked every bit the unbeatable favourite as he cruised to his third straight victory in Friday's $12,500 opening leg of the Tom Kirwan Memorial Pace at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.
The series for three-year-old colts and geldings honours the memory of Tom Kirwan, who began his career as a successful trainer/driver at The Meadows and later served as a superintendent on the backside.
Good Deal served notice that he would be a force when he captured the $22,000 championship of the Wilbur Zendt Memorial Pace, a series for three- and four-year-olds. The Sweet Lou-Cut A Deal gelding looked even more formidable facing sophomores only, cutting the fractions and drawing off at the three-quarters for Dave Palone to triumph in 1:53.3, a tick off his lifetime mark. Wehadababyetzaboy rallied for second, beaten two lengths, with Ill Take The Bet third.
Ron Burke trains Good Deal for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi Inc., J&T Silva-Purnell&Libby and Larry Karr.
In the $17,600 Open Handicap Pace, Wild Wild Western nabbed his third straight by following the hard used Dorsoduro Hanover and out-kicking him late to prevail by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:51 over a “good” surface. Carolina Beach rallied for show.
Mile Wilder piloted the six-year-old son of Western Ideal-Caila Fra, who lifted his career earnings to $422,985, for trainer Norm Parker and owners Jacobs Creek Racing, Andrew Altobelli and Jon Deters.
Palone collected three wins on the 12-race card.
The Meadows is dark the week of April 11 to allow for track maintenance. When live racing resumes Wednesday, April 20, The Meadows will introduce its four-cards-per-week schedule, with live racing each Wednesday though Saturday.
On April 20, the program will feature a pair of carryovers — $4,225.06 in the Jackpot Pick 5 (race four), $5,840.75 in the final-race Super Hi-5. First post is 12:45 p.m.
(With files from MSOA)