Stranded in mid-move when his cover ducked back to the cones, Nitro Seelster did the heavy lifting himself and pulled off a 13-1 upset in Saturday’s $20,000 Open Handicap Pace at The Meadows.
Nitro Seelster was following the first-over cover of Real Peace when that rival dived back to the rail to exploit an opening. But Nitro Seelster and Tony Hall persevered, overtaking 4-5 favourite Windsong Leo in the shadow of the wire and downing him by a neck in 1:50. Real Peace earned show.
Sarah Andrews trains Nitro Seelster, a nine-year-old Camluck-Strikes Again gelding who now boasts a lifetime bankroll of $324,763, for Sandbur Farms and Valarie Sutton.
In Saturday’s $10,000 leg of the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Trot, Alesha “The Hoosier Hotshot” Binkley pulled the pocket with Body Of Work midway down the backside and rolled to a 10-1/2-length rout.
Body Of Work and Binkley were stalking Jackie Goldstein, with Michelle “The Belle” Ruvola in the bike, when a pair of circumstances convinced her it was time to move.
“The horse behind me was running me over a little bit,” Binkley said. “The horse on the lead was slowing down. So I figured I’d rather go to the front and control the race. I didn’t pop the earplugs, and he was a lot better.”
The rest of the field took chase, but the “Hotshot” was not to be caught, scoring in 1:56.3. Song In My Heart rallied for second in rein to “Tiny Tim” Miller, while “Fast Greggy” Keidel aboard Stirling Boudica and Ruvola completed the superfecta.
Trent Stohler trains Body Of Work, a six-year-old ABC Garland-Battle Axe gelding who lifted his career bankroll to $156,467, for Trent Stohler Stable.
Aaron Merriman, Mike Wilder and Hall each piloted three winners on the 13-race card.
(With files from Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)