WASHINGTON, PA, March 18, 2017 — Art N Music exploded from the pocket in the lane and captured his second straight in Saturday's Walter Russell Memorial Pace at The Meadows. Town Speaker took the other $12,500 second-leg split in the series for 3- and 4-year-old colts, stallions and geldings.
The Walter Russell championship, as well as the finals of three other current series at The Meadows, is set for Saturday, March 25.
Art N Music stalked Dragon Striker for most of the mile before making the winning move for Dave Palone. He prevailed in a career-best 1:55.3 over a sloppy surface, 2-3/4 lengths better than the rallying Sin City Boogie, while Dragon Striker saved show. Ron Burke trains the 4-year-old Art Colony-Keystone Musical gelding for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Town Speaker, who finished third in his series opener, quarter-poled to the front for Dan Rawlings and held off the first-over Gossip Boy to score by a neck in 1:56.3, with Subliminal third. Dirk Simpson conditions the 3-year-old Well Said-Town Feather gelding for James Reynolds and Marsha Combs-Skinner.
Burke enjoyed a four-bagger on the 12-race card, with Palone piloting three of the victors.
by Evan Pattak, for the Meadows