The Whata
Baron series for pacing horses and geldings opened with a pair of $22,500
divisions of the first leg on Saturday night.
The track
was fast and temperature seasonal when the first split went away as race six
with Wake Up Peter redeeming himself and his backers after a pair of losses as
the 3/5 favorite. Starting from the rail, for driver Scott Zeron, Wake Up Peter
protected his position through the first turn then responded to Zeron’s
guidance to take the lead past the half in 55.3. Facing no challenges around
the final bend, Wake Up Peter sprinted clear in early stretch and held safe for
the 1:51- win.
The
winner is trained by the Remmen stable for owner Bradley Grant of Ontario.
In
division two (race seven) favored Captive Audience was an impressive 1:49-
winner, leading all the way for Andy Miller. Sent through a quick 26.3 opening
split, Miller did not welcome the early move from highly-regarded Pompano
invader Prairie Jaguar passing the three eighths, a move that was quickly
aborted by his pilot Jim Morrill, Jr.
Captive
Audience continued through honest fractions of 55- and 1:22.2 before a
sparkling 26.3 into the wind closed it out. Scott Rocks sat the pocket
throughout and held second with Summer Smackdown third.
Corey
Johnson trains the winner for Debbie Element and Mac Nichol of Ontario.
Driver Scott Zeron is loving life at The Meadowlands.
For the third consecutive week, Zeron led the Phenoms with three wins and 80
points, bringing his total for the Drivers Challenge to 243. Mike Wilder
tallied 49 points in his first try in the challenge and Joe Bongiorno had 48,
bringing his overall total to 138.
Steve Smith (73), Jim Marohn Jr. (72)
and Vicent Ginsburg (70) are battling it out for the 4th and 5th
place
spots which qualify for the Final.
The Legends fought all the way to the wire with Corey
Callahan coming out on top this week with 92 points, followed by Morrill Jr.
(88), Campbell (87), Andy Miller (79) and Dave Miller (61). Overall, Jim
Morrill Jr. leads The Legends with 246 points going into the fourth week.
Racing resumes on Friday with first post time at 7:15 P.M.
