Washington, PA — Here is this week’s Meadows Monday Memo.

FAST START FOR BURKE, WRENN
After the first three cards of the 2024 season, trainer Mickey Burke Jr. and driven Ronnie Wrenn Jr. lead their respective categories in wins. Burke sent out six winners last week, while Wrenn earned nine winning drives. Brandon Presto (three) and Dave Palone (seven) 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 (Jan. 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 (Jan. 10) will be race three, an upper-level conditioned pace for fillies and mares. Four of the seven horses finished in the top-three last week, including two winners: Always A Dancer and The Gypsy Queen IR. Always A Dancer has won two 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 p.m.