Meadows Monday Memo

HARNESS RACING FINAL SUMMER FRIDAY NIGHT

This Friday, August 30, is the final Friday evening card of the summer at The Meadows.  Starting next week (September 6), Friday post will change to 12:45pm.  To celebrate the end of summer, The Meadows will have a special “Racing & a Movie” night this Friday, with a showing of Top Gun on the infield video board after the races. Racing fans are invited to bring their lawn chairs and blankets.

HOMEBRED ROSE SETS TRACK STANDARD

Rose, a daughter of Sweet Lou-Rosemary Rose, established a new track record on Friday at The Meadows, becoming the fastest 2-year-old filly pacer in track history with a 1:50.2 win. The victory also ended the 5-race win streak by Papi Grad, another top-notch PA-bred.  Rose is part of the Burke Brigade for trainer Ron Burke, but was not a fall yearling sale purchase.  She is one of several homebreds that the Burke stable is having success with this season.  That list includes Louprint, who has scored multiple local wins, and won in 1:49.1 recently in Kentucky.

TOP FILLIES TO BATTLE THURSDAY

Two divisions of the Stenographer PA-sired trot for sophomore fillies will take place on Thursday afternoon at The Meadows, each for a purse of around $71,000.  Sambuca Hanover, fresh off a career-best 1:52.4 win at Pocono, headlines the first division, while Elista Hanover, a 10-time winner this season, has banked $224,000 this year going into the second division.  Post time will be 12:45, with the stakes carded as races 5 and 6.

PRESTO STABLE CONTINUES STRONG SEASON

Trainer Brandon Presto is continuing to have the best season of his training career at The Meadows.  He currently ranks second in wins among all trainers (84), a full 20 victories ahead of third place Dirk Simpson (64).  Ron Burke, who leads all conditioners with 119 wins, has a .397 UTRS rating, while Presto is currently at .379, including a 21.9% win percentage.

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