Trotslikethewind beats the boys with fourth straight at the Meadows

Washington, PA — The only mare in the field, Trotslikethewind used an impressive uncovered move to beat the boys and notch her fourth straight victory in Monday’s $22,500 Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows.

Trotslikethewind was sitting fifth, five lengths behind, when Tony Hall tipped her off the cones. She wore down the leader, Rembrandt Spur, and went on to score in 1:53.4, matching her career best. Longshot TSM Photo Bugger rallied for second, a neck back, while 2-5 favorite Sir Caviar shot the Lightning Lane for show.

Andy Rickert trains and owns the 7-year-old daughter of Pegasus Spur-Familiar Goal, who now boasts $221,540 in lifetime earnings.

Aaron Merriman drove three winners on the 16-race card.

— Evan Pattak

Harrington Raceway
Elizabeth Brittingham’s As Bad As Thunder ($5, Bret Brittingham) won his third straight race Monday at Harrington Raceway with a decisive front end score in 1:52.4 in the featured $18,000 Open. Trained by Don Brittingham, the 6-year-old Badlands Hanover gelding seized control immediately as the gate sprung open, setting fractions of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:24.3. As favorite Fools Gold failed to successfully recover after an early miscue, As Bad As Thunder was opening up several lengths on the field as Go Both Ways finished second and Volo closed for third. Drivers Allan Davis, Roger Plante, Brad Hanners and Jim Morand each had driving doubles.

Yonkers Raceway
Brian Sears beat a Yonkers Raceway path to the winner’s circle Monday night, getting his picture taken with five of his 11 drives on the 12-race card. Sears began at the beginning, sweeping the $10.80 early daily double with favorites He’s Great ($4.80) in the $8,500 first race pace (1:55.1) and by open lengths with Rev It Now ($2.80) in the $8,500 second race trot (1:58.2). Sears then won the $8,500 third race pace with Sakra Fella ($10) in 1:54. He did not win Monday’s $8,500 fourth race trot, which resulted in the highest exacta and triple of the season. After 3-4 favorite Rapid Strategy (Marcus Johansson) stopped on the lead, the parade was led by 11-1 Small Bills (Stephane Bouchard, $25.60), 84-1 Haste (Mike Forte) and 44-1 Call Me Madam (Ray Baynes). The mile went in 2:00.1 and featured a $1,313 exacta and an $18,370 triple. Sears won the $11,000 fifth race pace with Magnus Deo ($5.70) and then won the $16,000 10th race pace with Shotgun A ($5.80) in 1:54.1. That race concluded the $20,000 guaranteed Late Pick-4 pool (available Mondays and Tuesdays), which attracted $24,587 and paid a rather generous $767 (winners returned $10.80, $8.10, $3.50 and $5.80).

Monticello
Mike Merton continued his assault on 2,000 career victories by copping a pair of races on the Monday card at Monticello Raceway. Merton first reached paydirt in race number nine when he guided odds-on favorite Livinwell Hanover ($3.70) to an easy four length triumph in a 1:58.1 clocking. It marked the second consecutive victory for the 4-year-old daughter of The Panderosa, owned by Rosemarie Moore. Merton’s next triumph came in the 11th race when he and Early Morning reached the finish line a full length ahead of runner-up Lucky Angel, driven by Zeke Parker, in a time of 1:58.4. The 7-year-old Art Major mare scored her sixth seasonal victory as an even money ($4.10) favorite. Mike wasn’t the only Merton who was newsworthy on the Monday card. Younger brother Greg, a former two-time Mighty M driving champ, had a hat trick of his own. Greg’‘s first win was with Betsy Phillips and Carl Gillespie’s Allikait Fighter ($2.60) in 1:57.1 in the sixth race and he then proceeded to win the next two events. He copped the seventh behind Baron Racing Stables’ You Can’t Fool Me ($3.20) in a 1:57.1 clocking and then won the eighth with Kristin Bartlett and Albert Fini’s trotter Light Headed ($4.00) in a 2:00 clocking. Currently the younger Merton, who has half as many starts as the leaders, chimes in with 59 winners which ranks him fourth on the local leaderboard.