For the third consecutive day, Hollywood Casino at The Meadows hosted Keystone Classic events, featuring two divisions for three-year-old pacing colts and a pair for three-year-old pacing fillies on the day’s 15-race card.
Another C Note struck a winning tune with a 1:48.1 stakes record performance in one of the $41,632 Keystone Classic colt divisions. Driven by the hot-handed Ronnie Wrenn Jr., the son of Captaintreacherous-Kate Cant Wait watched from the pocket as even-money favourite Superchamp Hanover (Justin Irvine) put up blazing fractions of :25.4, :53.2 and 1:20.3. As Highland B Best (Troy Beyer) raced first-over towards the leader, but Another C Note moved to the lightning lane to close out the victory by 1-1/4 lengths over that foe with Superchamp Hanover settling for third. The 6-5 second choice paid $4.40 to win.
Trained by Ron Burke, Another C Note's lifetime best performance marked his 13th career win and pushed his bankroll to $325,338 for owners Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania, Weaver Bruscemi of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Let It Ride Stables of Boca Raton, Florida and Scott Dillon of Anson, Maine. He's earned 10 of his victories during his 16-race sophomore campaign.
Good Friday was indeed very good on Friday, winning the other $41,076 Keystone Classic colt division. Dave Palone had the Tall Dark Stranger-Virgin Mary gelding on point from start to finish for a career-best equalling 1:50.3 effort. The 7-5 favourite crossed to command from the outside post seven and set fractions of :26.3, :55.2 and 1:22.2 en route to the three-length victory. While Good Friday was cruising to victory up front, Tim Tetrick used a second-over trip to get place money with Generational Wealth, while Shawn Johnston rallied Southwind Spencer from the back to show. Tom Shay trains the winner for owners Howard Taylor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Teena Freibert of Versailles, Kentucky.
The $38,993 Keystone Classic filly divisions were dominated by the Burke Brigade, with convincing wins by favourites Sandyboots Yankee and Im A Lou Lou.
Sandyboots Yankee, with Wrenn in the sulky, cleared to the lead just past an opening :27 quarter, then cruised through middle splits of :55.3 and 1:23.2 before dashing away to a 5-1/4-length victory in 1:50.4. A :27.2 final quarter propelled the daughter of Always B Miki-A Beach Cowgirl to her third straight win in stakes action for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Lawrence Karr of Boca Raton, Florida and Phillip Collura of Mountain Top, Pennsylvania. With The Fur (Aaron Merriman) saved ground along the pylons to complete a 1-2 finish for Burke while Kilauea Hanover (Mike Wilder) rounded out the top three.
Im A Lou Lou was the fastest Keystone Classic filly winner with a powerful 1:49.3 career-best effort. Tim Tetrick moved the Sweet Lou-Benear filly to the lead past the :26.3 opening quarter and never looked back. Despite the quick early fraction, Im A Lou Lou never waivered as she raced on to the half in :54 and three-quarters in 1:21.3 before widening her lead to four lengths. Robins Song (Mike Wilder) finished second while Make It Right (Aaron Merriman) held the show spot. The career winner of more than half a million dollars is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, Lawrence Karr and Phillip Collura.
Burke's stakes triple was part of a seven-win day at The Meadows for his stable. Wrenn's two Keystone Classic wins highlighted his six-win day.
In other action, Meadows hosted another International Amateur Driving event on Friday with Dutch driver Yanick Mollema repeating his performance from the previous day with another win. Driving the Burke-trained Glowing Lou, Mollema waited patiently along the pylons before taking over past the three-quarters mark and rolling off to a 9-3/4-length victory in 1:53.
There will be no live racing at The Meadows next week. Live racing will return to its three-day schedule on Sept. 30, with first-race post time at 12:45 p.m.
(With files from Meadows Standardbred Owners Association; photo of Another C Note winning on Sept. 18)