Washington, PA — Refreshed by a second-quarter breather, Donatover blitzed the back half in :56.2 and cruised to victory in Thursday’s (Oct. 7) feature at The Meadows, a $12,100 conditioned trot.

After enjoying a second-quarter breather, Donatover out-sprinted his rivals en route to a handy win in Thursday’s feature at The Meadows. Chris Gooden photo.

Donatover was parked in a :28 opening panel while gaining the lead. But after Dave Palone gave him a mild :29 second quarter, the 6-year-old Donato Hanover-Anonyme Hanover gelding had little trouble repelling the outside challengers and scoring in 1:53.2. Keystone Chaos rallied for second, two lengths back, while Mystical Peter was a ground-saving third.

Tim Twaddle trains Donatover, who lifted his lifetime bankroll to $266,372, for Micki Rae Stables. It was one of three wins for Palone on the 12-race card.

Live racing at The Meadows continues Friday (Oct. 8), when the 14-race program — the first race is an early non-wagering event — features the $200,000 Pennsylvania Fairs championships. On the wagering front, the program offers a $19,247.24 carryover in the final-race Super Hi-5. Post time is 4 p.m.