Washington, PA — Hollywood Casino at The Meadows’ Thursday afternoon (June 25) card was highlighted by two Currier & Ives 3-year-old filly trot races and three Pop-Up Series divisions later to keep the crowd’s attention.
The first Currier & Ives division of the day, worth a purse of $28,662, saw Ginger Tree Lex and Dave Palone sprint off the car to establish their position on the lead. Before the teletimer could flash :27.4, Ronnie Wrenn Jr. had Victorianas Secret moving to the lead on their way to a :56.3 opening half. With no backside movement, the race set up for a final quarter sprint, and Victorianas Secret battled every step of the stretch to hold off pocket sitter Ginger Tree Lex by a neck in 1:53.1. Victorianas Secret, a daughter of Tactical Landing, is owned by Ryan Smith and was trained to victory by Vernon Beachy.
The $29,162 second division of The Currier & Ives was never in doubt. Brian Zendt sent Faster Horses aggressively to the lead from post 5 in a :27.4 opening quarter. Zendt sat comfortably through an easy enough :57.3 opening half. It would not be until the 1:25.1 three-quarters that Zendt kicked out Faster Horses’ ear plugs, and the Chris Beaver trainee responded by posting a wrapped up 1:54 victory. Owned by Chris Beaver, Carolina Acosta, Steve Zeehandelar and Leo Fleming, Faster Horses, by Muscle Up the Goal, was also bred by Chris Beaver.
The first early Pop-Up Series division saw Lou Armstrong and Anthony McDonald put in the fastest and most impressive 2-year-old performance of the day. Trained by Tim Twaddle, Lou Armstrong turned a :59.4 first half into a 1:56.1, 7-length romp with a :28 final quarter. Lou Armstrong, a gelded son of Cuatro De Julio, was bred in Ontario by The Stable My Jazz Group and is owned by The Stable Lou Armstrong.
After sending Faster Horses to victory in her Currier & Ives section, Chris Beaver debuted Commander Moni, and like his stablemate, he delivered on the lead. Mike Wilder had the son of Ready For Moni over to the half in 1:00.2, which set up a 1:58.2, 2-length victory in his career debut. Command Moni was a $21,000 Blooded Horse Sale purchase for owners Commander Moni Stables, Mark Schwartz and Mark Robinson.
Brady Brown moved Hades Hanover from third past the five-eighths and would successfully navigate a break by the leader and hold off a two-pronged attack in his career debut, a 1:59.1 win. The gelded son of Greenshoe is owned by Kathy Schoeffel, Maxx Fortune Stable and Roger Romesser. Hades Hanover is from the Brown/Schoeffel operation that had Smokin Guns represent himself well in an earlier Pop-Up Series Division.
For the day, Mike Wilder and Jeremy Indof shared driving honors with three wins each. On the trainers’ side, a trio of trainers, Chris Beaver, Tim Twaddle, and Steve Schoeffel, all had two victories.
Hollywood Casino at The Meadows will resume racing Friday (June 26) with first race post at 5:10 p.m. The evening’s card will feature a 10-horse Currier & Ives 3-year-old colt trot going for a purse of $90,675.