Meadows Monday Memo

FAST START FOR BURKE, WRENN

After the first three cards of the 2024 harness racing season, trainer Mickey Burke, Jr and driven Ronnie Wrenn lead their respective categories in wins.  Burke sent out six winners last week, while Wrenn earned 9 winning drives.  Brandon Presto (3) and Dave Palone (7) are second in training and driving wins.  Among horses, two sub-1:51 miles, a rarity for January, were recorded last week.  Sandbetweenmytoes, driven by Brady Brown for trainer Dirk Simpson, won in 1:50.2, while Lunar (Dan Charlino for trainer Mickey Burke, Jr) posted a 1:50.3 win.  Both races took place on Friday, January 5.  Lunar was making just his second start after a 13-month layoff, capturing the top-level Open pace.

DOUBLE-GAITED SUCCESS

One of the most unique stories of the 2023 season was that of veteran pacer Lord Of Winterfell, out of the Norm Parker Stable.  After a lengthy, successful career on his “regular” gait, Lord Of Winterfell was converted to a trotter, and earned his first career win in early December.  While double-gaited performers were always rare, they seem to be fewer and farther between in recent years, making Lord Of Winterfell the first horse in well over a decade to win races on both gaits at The Meadows in the same season.

COMPETITIVE GROUP IN WEDNESDAY FEATURE

The featured race on the Wednesday afternoon card this week (January 10) will be Race #3, an upper-level conditioned pace for fillies and mares.  Five of the seven horses finished in the top-3 last week, including two winners:  Always A Dancer and The Gypsy Queen IR.  Always A Dancer has won 2 in a row for the Brady Jenson Stable, while The Gypsy Queen, claimed recently by the Burke Stable, is going for her fifth consecutive win this week.  Two others in the field recorded wins two starts ago.  The Gypsy Queen IR has been installed as a 2-1 morning line favorite.

THREE-DAY RACING THROUGH MARCH

The Meadows will continue its three-day racing schedule through the end of March, with action on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons at 12:45.

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