Black Magic, who rallied to win his career opener, came back with speed to score in Friday’s Pop Up Series at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Drive To Deliver took the other $8,000 opening leg division in the event for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
Black Magic got away second for Chris Lems but wasted little time quarter-poling to the lead. From there, it was strictly no contest, as the son of Full Count-Glisten Hanover triumphed by a measured 1-1/2 lengths in 1:57.2. Battin Athousand and Austral Hanover completed the ticket.
Steve Cross trains Black Magic for Richard Gutnick, Thomas Pontone and Joseph Lozito Jr.
Drive To Deliver also used quick early speed to land in the two-hole, then out-kicked 1-5 favourite El Presidente to down him by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:58.2. County Cong finished third.
Brady Brown piloted Drive To Deliver, a Fordham Road-Diamond Creek gelding, for owner/trainer/breeder Roger Hammer.
Bill “The Flying Antique” Daugherty Jr. and Fly Past Hanover led every step but had to dig in late to hold off Tom “Mayhem” Svrcek (Whiskey Lindy) and capture Friday’s $8,500 Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association (GLADA) leg.
Daugherty zipped to the point from post six. Svrcek moved off the cones to challenge past the quarter but dropped back to the pocket when Daugherty showed no signs of releasing him. In mid-stretch, though, Mayhem meant mayhem. He and Whiskey Lindy challenged once more, but Daugherty and Fly Past Hanover held on to down him by a half-length in 1:57. Rounding out the ticket were Jerry “Duke of Oil” Kehm (Bronze Yankee) and Joelene Christman (Just Like Magic).
Kelly Paver trains and leases Fly Past Hanover, an 11-year-old gelding who lifted his lifetime bankroll to $256,304.
Dave Palone collected three wins to lift his career total to 19,998. He’ll continue his drive to 20,000 Saturday when he has a scheduled assignment in all 11 races.
That program Saturday features the $57,335 Currier & Ives for three-year-old filly trotters. On the wagering front, the card offers a pair of carryovers: $25,967.24 in the Jackpot Pick 5 (race four) and $4,064.34 in the final-race Super Hi-5. First post is 12:45 p.m.
(MSOA)