by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows

Washington, PA— Call For Justice, who hadn’t won in five starts since leaving The Meadows,made a triumphant return home Wednesday (June 21) with a front-end victory inthe $20,000 Preferred Handicap Trot.

Chris Gooden photo

Call For Justice returned to The Meadows on Wednesday and scored a wire-to-wire victory in 1:53.2.

A 5-year-oldson of Justice Hall-Mika’s Mazurka, Call For Justice opened the year with fivestraight victories at The Meadows before shifting to Hoosier Park to face thetrotting elite there. He hit the board in all five Indiana outings butcouldn’t reach the winners’ circle.

He ended thatfrustrating streak when he made the front past the quarter for Dave Palone andheld off the pocket-sitting Classicality by a neck in 1:53.2, with Boy MeetsGirl K third. Ron Burke trains Call For Justice, who now boasts a lifetimebankroll of $358,167, for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

In Wednesday’scompanion feature, the $18,000 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Trot, 1-2favorite Barn Girl withstood the first-over challenge of Dirty Secret andprevailed by 1/2 length in 1:54.3. Bessie rallied for second while Dirty Secretheld show. Aaron Merriman drove the 5-year-old daughter of Cash Hall-TurquoiseSweetie, who extended her career bankroll to $480,268, for trainer Bill Bercuryand owner Renee Bercury.

Elsewhere onthe card, Kristy’sgingergal became harness racing’s fastest freshman fillytrotter on a five-eighths-mile track when she won at first asking fortrainer/driver Tyler Stillings and owner Baby Horses LLC. The daughter ofPilgrims Chuckie-Outback Kristy scored in 1:59.1. Stillings enjoyed anothervictory with a debuting 2-year-old filly from his stable when Swan Mama (SwanFor All-Little Rigs) broke her maiden in 2:00.1.