By Evan Pattak For The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association “Horsemen Helping Horsemen” photo by Chris Gooden
Trailing by 6 lengths at the half in his career debut, Sippinonsearoc unleashed a powerful first-over move that carried him to victory in a stake-fastest 1:53.3 in Saturday’s Pop-Up series for freshman colt and gelding pacers at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.
Also winning $10,000 splits were Pants On Fire and Twin B High Tide, both driven by Austin Hanners, to give first-time starters a sweep of the second leg. Hanners added a cherry on his sundae when he got an owner’s win in an overnight with In Rock We Trust.
Sippinonsearoc was fifth when Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. tipped him off the cones and asked him for pace. The son of Downbytheseaside-Queen Ann M responded by gobbling up the leader, Aiden Station, and downing him by 2-3/4 lengths. Quick Pittstop was third.
Ron Burke trains Sippinonsearoc for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, RAS Racing and Knox Services.
Pants On Fire found himself in a similar predicament, in a 7-1/2-length hole at the half. But he picked up the live first-over cover of Papi’s Rocket, then powered past him in deep stretch to defeat him by 1/2 length in 1:53.4. Early leader Blue Ventura earned show.
Brian Brown conditions Pants On Fire, a son of Catch The Fire-American Myth, for Douglas Overhiser, VIP Internet Stable LLC, William Johnson II and Kalinoski Stable.
In Saturday’s $21,200 Open Handicap Trot, Tequila Talkin outdueled first-over challenger Guido D, edging him by a head in 1:53.2 for Hunter Myers, trainer Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Double Account completed the ticket. A 9-year-old Cantab Hall-Margarita Nights gelding, Tequila Talkin now has won 56 races and $620,211 in his career.
Burke fashioned a four bagger while Dave Palone piloted three winners on the 13-race card.
The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association (MSOA) is a nonprofit organization that represents the interests of approximately 700 Standardbred trainers, drivers, caretakers and owners at The Meadows. In addition to providing horses to race at The Meadows, MSOA administers such member-centric services as health insurance and retirement programs for horsemen and horsewomen.