by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows

Washington, PA — Tall Cotton lulled the field with a sleepy second quarter, then scorched the back half in :56 to capture Monday’s (May 4) $18,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows.

Tall Cotton, who shares The Meadows’ all-age trotting record of 1:51.3, made an easy lead and enjoyed comfortable fractions of :28 and :57.4. Dave Palone turned him loose down the backside and the 9-year-old Revenue S-B Cor Peatra gelding blew the race open, scoring by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:53.4. TSM Photo Bugger rallied for second while the first-over Trustworthy Kid earned show.

Ron Burke trains Tall Cotton, who now boasts $637,131 in career earnings, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Edwin Gold and Howard Taylor.

Elsewhere on the card, Roger Hammer collected career driving victory No. 3,999 with Camturo Beach, a 5-year-old Somebeachsomewhere-Camturo gelding he owns and trains.

Mike Wilder piloted three winners on the 14-race program.