The Meadows: Ginger Tree Coco stars in Thursday's Keystone Classic

Ginger Tree Coco clicked off the back-half in a snappy 55 4/5 en route to a stake-fastest victory in a career-best 1:52 3/5 over a "good" surface in Thursday's $81,499 Keystone Classic at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Hello Yes Hi and Butterfingers captured the other divisions in the event for 2-year-old filly pacers. Aaron Merriman enjoyed a stake double behind Ginger Tree Coco and Butterfingers.

Ginger Tree Coco had to battle three-wide for the early lead, but after Merriman gave her a 29 1/5 second panel breather, she drew off late to down the pocket-sitting Little Lady J by 4 3/4 lengths, with Tallchief Hanover third.

"She's probably better hunting, but she just seemed so good I put her on the lead," Merriman said. "I thought she was the best horse, and I raced her like it."

Sam Beegle trains the daughter of Stay Hungry-Zellweger Bluechip and owns with Ginger Tree Ventures LLC., Knollview Stable and Robert Reber Jr.

Hello Yes Hi grabbed the lead past the quarter for Ronnie Wrenn Jr. but found herself challenged inside and outside in mid-stretch. The homebred daughter of Captaintreacherous-Camille found another gear and held off Calliope Hanover by a neck in 1:53 1/5. Square Deal completed the ticket.

"I drove her once before, and she won from the eight-hole in a sire stake," Wrenn said. "She beat some good horses that day, so I wasn't really concerned late. She's not a real big filly, but she's real game."

Ron Burke conditions Hello Yes Hi, who now has banked $119,177, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC., M1 Stable and Jack Piatt II.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Butterfingers moved first-up, cleared near the three-quarters and scored in 1:54 1/5 for owner/trainer Mike Hall. Romantic Evening was second, beaten a length, while Extreme Z Tam rallied for show.

"I was happy they were going so slow up front because my horse has a quick turn of foot," Merriman said of the daughter of Sweet Lou-Drop The Ball. "It worked out just like I thought it would."

In Thursday's $19,300 Open Handicap Trot, Tequila Talkin notched his 11th win this year when he overtook Refi past the three-quarters and downed him by three-quarters of a length in 1:54 2/5. Mike Wilder drove the 7-year-old Cantab Hall-Margarita Nights gelding, who lifted his lifetime earnings to $313,663, for Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi.

Merriman piloted four winners on the 13-race card while Wilder and Burke each fashioned a triple.

Friday's 13-race program at The Meadows features an $82,500 Keystone Classic for freshman colt and gelding pacers.

--press release (MSOA)--