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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Periculum (Muscle Hill), with Scott Zeron at the reins, fired midstretch from off the pace to carve a 1:50 harness racing score in the $164,000 Crawford Farms Open Trot on Saturday (June 28) at The Meadowlands.
Lexus Cody stormed from post 9 before being outkicked by Osceola and Aetos Kronos S while Periculum was unhurried from post 3. Osceola clocked the first quarter in :27 and soon faced a challenge from Aetos Kronos S, who launched out of third with a fiery brush to take the lead in a scorching :54.3 half.
Zeron meanwhile kept Periculum steady in fifth through the early kerfuffle. He managed to catch a helmet once moving into action in the last turn when Lexus Cody came first over from third. Aetos Kronos S continued on the engine through three-quarters in 1:22.3 with challengers looming.
Zeron took advantage of the quick three-quarters and placed Periculum perfectly on a path to show his speed in the stretch. Effortlessly, Periculum passed an all-out Aetos Kronos S and extended his lead to finish 3-1/4 lengths ahead of Aetos Kronos S, the other Melander-trained trotter in the race, with Lexus Kody completing the trifecta. Up Your Deo came from off the speed for fourth.
PERICULUM REPLAY
“He was sharp looking last time [in his most recent qualifier, winning by over 20 lengths in 1:53],” said winning trainer Marcus Melander, “He was supposed to race three weeks ago but he got a little fever on us, so we had to scratch him. He’s an older horse – he goes his intervals twice a week, jogs a little there in between. He’s sound, he’s happy. He’s a great horse.”
Melander said Periculum only raced twice this season because “there’s not much to go for [in this division] early in the season. There’s way more in the fall. We have three weeks to the Spirit of Massachusetts, and then we have the Cashman here.”
Periculum’s second win in two starts this season hiked his lifetime bankroll to $1,433,376 for owners Brixton Medical Inc. and Holly Lane Stud East LTD. The 6-year-old stallion by Muscle Hill registered his 13th win from 52 starts in his career.
Driver Zeron was happy with the way the mile formed for the trotters. “He had a great trip,” he said. “We didn’t get flushed early on and we picked up a live flow.”
Periculum paid $6.40 to win.
For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.
by Frank Cotolo, for The Meadowlands
