by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows

Washington, PA — Headed in mid-stretch, Bettor’s Up dug in gamely and put her nose in front at the wire in Saturday’s (Sept. 30) $68,300 Keystone Classic at The Meadows. Terrortina pulled off a 6-1 upset of Freakonomics in the other division of the event for 3-year-old filly pacers.

Bettor’s Up entered the Keystone Classic off an impressive win in the Simcoe that persuaded punters to hammer her down to 1-9. But she needed every ounce of her grit and speed to reclaim the lead late from the first-over Sweetest Emotion and edge her in 1:52.2 for Brian Zendt. Pittstop Danika rallied for show.

Chris Gooden photo

Bettor’s Up wins her Keystone Classic division in 1:52.2.

“She’s little but she’s tough, and Brian gave her the perfect drive for what we wanted,” said Stacey Currie, caretaker for the daughter of Bettor’s Delight-Fresh Idea. “She just wants to fight them off every race. If they come at her, she just digs right in. She doesn’t want to give up.”

Better’s Up, who is ticketed for the Courageous Lady at Northfield, now has earned $552,129 for trainer Scott McEneny and owners Bradley Grant, Teresa Davidson and Michelle McEneny.

Freakonomics carried a five-race winning streak — her cumulative victory margin over that stretch was 19-1/2 lengths — into the Keystone Classic. But she was facing an improving filly in Terrortina, who was a respectable fifth in last week’s Jugette final.

“At Delaware, she had a lot of pace and nowhere to go — we thought she could have been third,” said winning trainer Norm Parker. “She came out of it good. It looks like she liked the two heats.”

Tony Hall sent Terrortina after Freakonomics first-up from fourth, and the daughter of Western Terror-Alladorable wore down the 1-5 favorite by a half-length in a career-best 1:53. Perplexed earned show.

Bob Key bred and owns Terrortina, who extended her lifetime bankroll to $131,904. Parker indicated Terrortina is eligible to a number of late-season stakes but that her immediate schedule is undetermined.

In the $20,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Trot, Call For Justice overcame post eight to score in 1:54.4 for Dan Rawlings, trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The 5-year-old son of Justice Hall-Mike’s Mazurka now boasts $418,167 in career earnings.

Elsewhere on the card, Dapper Dude was sharp off a six-week layoff, moving three-wide down the backside to prevail in 1:51.1 in the $18,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life Handicap Pace and pad his bulging bankroll to $1,136,880. Dick Stillings piloted the 8-year-old son of The Panderosa-Dress To Suggest for trainer Bill Bercury and owner Renee Bercury.