Meadows Monday Memo

HARNESS RACING THIS WEEK

The Meadows will be racing its regular Spring schedule this week, Wednesday through Saturday at 12:45.  The next change in our schedule will be Preakness Day (May 18), when we will race at 11:30AM.  The first Friday night card of the year will be May 24, post time at 5:10PM.

TOP MARES RETURN WEDNESDAY

Racin Hungry, a top stake filly last year for the Jennifer Bongiorno Stable, made her 4YO debut at The Meadows last week and won the Open Mares pace in upset fashion.  Dispatched at 13-1, the daughter of Stay Hungry came from 5^th in mid-stretch to win in 1:51.3.  She will be back to defend her title this Wednesday in the 8^th race, this time getting the outside post in the field of six, with posts set by earnings in the last four starts.  Ridge Warren drove the winner last week, and will drive again Wednesday.

TRACK RECORD HOLDER BACK IN TOP FORM

Jeffery P, a trotter out of the Ron Burke Stable, is back in top form after missing most of the 2023 campaign.  In February of 2021, the Full Count gelding, age 6 at the time, equaled the all-time fastest trot mile in track history with a 1:51.3 effort, an unexpected mile on a 40-degree February day.  The trotter continued racing well the rest of the season, but eventually ended up on the shelf with injuries.

He returned in late 2023 and made just five starts during the season, without getting a win.  Recently, the now 9-year-old has been flashing his old form, winning two races in conditioned events in late February, before extending the win streak to three in early March with a win in the Open.  He now has five wins in 12 starts on the year, thanks to back-to-back wins in the Open in 1:53.2.  Ronnie Wrenn is Jeffery P’s regular pilot and will be in the bike again on Thursday when the gelding looks for his third straight top-level win in Race 8.

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