HERODOTUS, COMMANDER FRANK WIN CURRIER & IVES SPLITS
By Evan Pattak For The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association
WASHINGTON, PA, June 17, 2023 — Herodotus kicked past world champion Rumble Strips in the Lightning Lane to capture a division of Saturday’s Currier & Ives at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Commander Frank took the other split of the $95,790 stake for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
Herodotus released Rumble Strips at the quarter and stalked from the pocket. It was a great trip, but between Herodotus and victory was the fastest 2-year-old trotter ever on a half-mile track. How confident was winning driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. that he could kick past the champ?
“I wasn’t sure because I raced against Rumble Strips in Ohio, and he’s a really nice trotter,” Wrenn said. “So when I released him to the front, I was hopeful that I had enough trot to beat him late. I kind of looked forward to driving my horse from the two hole because he races better tracking one.”
Herodotus scored in 1:55, a length better than the rallying Express Man, while Rumble Strips, competing outside Ohio for the first time in his 14-race career, slipped to third. Ron Burke trains Herodotus, a Hambletonian-eligible gelded son of Bar Hopping-Regal Woman who now has banked $152,577, for Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Expectations for the other division changed when the wings of the gate folded and John Dutton, the 2-5 favorite ducked and got away fifth. That helped Commander Frank quarter-pole to the point for Mike Wilder and get home with little pressure. He scored in a career-best 1:53.4, 1-1/2 lengths better than early leader Tailgate Buzz. Fire N Lightning completed the ticket. John Dutton struggled first up and finished fourth.
“He’s an awfully nice horse,” said Norm Parker, who trains the homebred son of Southwind Frank-Lady Athens for Tom Brice, Bart Brice, Charles Receski and Ed Receski. “The last two weeks he got really bad trips and raced great. So I figured once he reached the front so easy, it should be our race. He’s eligible to the Breeders Crown but not the Hambo, so we’ll pick and choose.”
