Impressive rally for series opener victory

WASHINGTON, PA, March 11, 2022 — Trailing by 5-1/2 lengths at the three quarters and with no apparent path to victory, Darwin poured through a suddenly wide open Lightning Lane and triumphed in Friday’s opening harness racing leg of the Wilbur Zendt Memorial Pace at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

When Hunter Myers pointed Darwin to the Lightning Lane, the lightly raced Always B Miki-Belle Boyd sophomore gelding responded like a seasoned veteran, downing Woody Two by a head in 1:54. Early leader Jaspers Revenge earned show. Norm Parker trains the winner for D Win Stable, Susan Altobelli, Richard Weaver and Gerald Bell.

Pack Your Bags took the other $10,000 opening leg in the series for 3- and 4-year-old colt and gelding pacers that honors the memory of Wilbur Zendt, a popular horseman who campaigned his stable throughout the region and was the patriarch of a family that has thrived at The Meadows through multiple generations.

Pack Your Bags turned back a number of challengers for Dave Palone to preserve his front-end victory in a career-best 1:55.2, 1/2 length better than I’ll Take The Bet, with Racing My Beamer third. Kevin Johnson conditions the 4-year-old Betterthancheddar-Hope For Life gelding for Rockridge Racing Inc.

In Friday’s $17,600 Open Handicap Pace Torrin Hanover shot the Lightning Lane to score narrowly for Hunter Myers, trainer Paul Corey and owner Kenneth Ashba in a snappy 1:50. The 7-year-old Well Said-Transference gelding lifted his career bankroll to $363,629. Carolina Beach and Dorsoduro Hanover completed the ticket.

Palone collected three wins on the 11-race card.

Live racing at The Meadows resumes Wednesday when the 11-race program features a pair of carryovers — $23,446.41 in the Jackpot Pick 5 (race 4), $2,857.77 in the final-race Super Hi-5. First post is 12:45 PM.

For full race results, click here.

by Evan Pattak, for the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association