Hollywood Casino at the Meadows has seen and celebrated several milestones lately. Leading driver Dave Palone recently won his 300th race of the 2023 calendar year at the Meadows. As of the start of the October 11th racing week, Palone currently has 310 wins on the season, well clear of Ronnie Wrenn Jr. in second (217 wins) and Aaron Merriman in third (168 wins). The top local conditioner, Ron Burke, also passed a recent milestone by picking up his 200th training win of the season at the Meadows. Burke enters the October 11th racing week with 207 victories on the season, which is over double that of his nearest rivals. Dirk Simpson sits second in the current trainer standings with 87 wins and Brandon Presto checks in third with 82 wins.
Driver Dan Charlino recently celebrated a career milestone as he piloted his 3,000th career winner earlier this month at the Meadows. On the Thursday, October 5th card, in the 9th race, Charlino left hard with TROYCEN from Post 8 and was able to secure a good spot early. A strong last quarter saw TROYCEN go from fourth to first to secure the 15-1 upset for Charlino and trainer Brandon Presto. A large group of people and a congratulatory sign awaited Charlino as he visited the winner’s circle for the 3,000th time in his career.
The Meadows will feature one final evening card of racing this week on Friday, October 13th as part of the annual Pink Out night to support Breast Cancer Awareness. First post time is set for 5:10 pm and fans are encouraged to wear either pink and/or Halloween costumes. There will be a balloon artist, face painter, bounce house, airbrush tattoos, and Corgi races between the live harness races. Speaking of live harness races, there are 14 intriguing ones scheduled for Friday evening so certainly make plans to come out to the track this Friday night for what promises to be a fun evening!
The featured race on Friday evening is an intriguing group of seven upper-level conditioned pacers that will go as the eighth race on the card. All seven entrants hold a chance in the race and the group has already combined for 35 wins in 2023. DOUBLE UP N comes in off a third place finish last time out here at the Meadows and is moving up in class, but does draw a nice inside post. Three-year-old ERVIN HANOVER will be taking on older in this spot after finishing third last time out in a Keystone Classic event at the Meadows. THE IDEAL DANCER A is the Northfield invader in the group and he has been given the outside post after winning an Open last time out in Ohio. The remaining four in the group, DOUBLE UP N, WHITECOOKIE, SANDBETWEENMYTOES, and PATRIKTHEPIRANHA A, all come out of the same race last time out at the Meadows. PATRIK THE PIRANHA A was the best of the group with his second place finish that day. While the race has some major back class with the likes of 200-1 2020 Breeders Crown upset winner SANDBETWEENMYTOES and 2022 Breeders Crown Participant ERVIN HANOVER, I’ll side with THE IDEAL DANCER A in this one based on that most recent race out at Northfield in their Open. He does draw the outside post in this race, but hopefully that will only help out our price on him in this spot.
