Meadows Monday Memo

“RICHEST DAY IN PA”

Hollywood Casino at The Meadows is finalizing plans for the “richest day in PA” when it comes to guaranteed pools.  Saturday, July 27 will feature the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, and the harness racing track is looking to present the largest total of guaranteed pools for bettors ever offered in Pennsylvania.  Full details will be coming later this week.

5-YEAR-OLD TROTTER MAKING NOISE

When Mike Wilder reached his 9000^th driving win this past week, lost in the headline was the fact that the horse he drove to the milestone win has put together some impressive numbers in a short amount of time.  Distant Drums, trained by Sarah Andrews, is a 5YO gelding by Trixton out of the Cantab Hall mare Altar Gal.  In 2022, Distant Drums went 1-for-8, racing mostly in Canada.  After vanishing from the racetrack for more than two years, he reappeared at The Meadows for a May, 2024 qualifier, which he won.  On June 6, he beat a group of NW1 trotters by nearly three lengths in 1:55.4.

The following week he stepped up in class and won in 1:54.2 by six lengths, followed by a June 26 win in NW3 company in 1:55.3, by nearly five lengths.  Aaron Merriman drove Distant Drums in all three of those wins.  The victory with Wilder was by more than 8 lengths in 1:54.3, giving the Matthew Miller-owned gelding a perfect four-for-four record after more than a year and a half on the shelf.  Distant Drums drew also-eligible for this Wednesday, so his quest for five straight is temporarily on hold.

SISTERS SQUARE OFF

The feature race on Wednesday’s card will be the $21,200 Filly & Mare Open Handicap pace.  For the second time, Think Of Galaxies and Kele Kele will face each other in the top level.  On June 26 , Kele Kele, a 5YO, was cutting the mile when 6YO Think Of Galaxies pulled first over and the two were side-by-side for much of the third quarter.  Both mares are sired by So Surreal out of the mare Lightning D Dube, bred by Peter Kleinhans.

Think Of Galaxies is in the Cory Kreiser Stable and has post 1 this Wednesday (8-1 Morning Line), while Kele Kele is trained by Bill Bercury and will leave from post 5 at a ML price of 4-1.  Ohio-invader Alexa Skye, trained by Virgil Morgan, is the 8-5 early choice from post 4.

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