Meadows Monday Memo

MEADOWS GOES UNDER THE LIGHTS THIS FRIDAY

Hollywood Casino at The Meadows will race three days this week, with the Wednesday and Thursday harness racing cards starting at 12:45pm.  Friday night’s action will be the first of our summer Friday “under the lights” cards, with a 5:10pm post time.  Friday night will be the kickoff of the annual Greater Pittsburgh Food Truck Festival, which will continue through Sunday with over 45 different vendors.  There will be no live racing on Saturday.

QUALIFIERS THIS WEDNESDAY

Rather than their usual spot on Tuesdays, qualifying races at The Meadows will be shifted this week only to Wednesday, May 20.  The prep races will begin at 11:30am, and will be shown live on the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association’s Facebook page.  Qualifier video is also archived at www.youtube.com/themsoa.

 QUICK FRACTIONS

On Saturday, May 16, pacer Rip Tide, featured recently in a story as a 5YO just getting his career started for the Ron Burke Stable, made headlines again.  The gelding paced the second-fastest first quarter and second-quickest first half mile in track history, when he tripped the timer in :25.2 and :53 flat.  He eventually finished third, pacing his mile in 1:52.2 for driver Brad Burke.  The fastest first quarter in track history (:25.1) was set in the 2012 Adios by A Rocknroll Dance, a race eventually won by Bolt The Duer.  The fastest first half in Meadows history was :52.4, by Racing Hill, the 2016 Adios winner.  Rip Tide’s efforts made him the fastest ever for those markers in an overnight race, as it was done in a NW2 lifetime pace.

PACER ASSISTS IN GENDER REVEAL

Last Thursday’s seventh race had a little more riding on the post parade than usual.  Rather than just a run-of-the-mill act of horses coming onto the track to warm up, there were plenty of eyes on the lookout for pacing mare Filthy McNasty.  Owner Emily Dorazio, who races under the LFG Racing Stable name, used the post parade as a gender reveal for her family and friends.  Filthy McNasty, trained by Ron Lineweaver, usually races in Dorazio’s favored pink equipment, but there was a chance that the mare would come onto the track in blue equipment on Thursday, but the pacer stepped onto the track wearing her usual pink gear.  Filthy McNasty ended up with a third place finish while signaling that Dorazio would be welcoming a baby girl later this year.

If you would like additional information at any point, please reach out to track announcer Jeff Zidek (jeff.zidek@pennentertainment.com).

by Jeff Zidek, for The Meadows