By Evan Pattak For The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association

SPLENDID EXTENDS WINNING STREAK TO 7 WITH GRITTY CURRIER & IVES SCORE AT THE MEADOWS

It took a gritty, sustained first-over move to do it, but Splendid extended his winning streak to seven in Saturday’s $97,854 Currier & Ives at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Spaaaanzano was just as impressive in the other division of the 50th edition of the stake for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters, winning as he pleased on the front end.

Splendid’s previous six wins in the streak came off a variety of trips, but in the Currier & Ives — away fourth with no cover in sight — it appeared that the streak was in jeopardy. Winning driver Chris Lems, though, was confident in the ability of the son of Father Patrick-Long island Tea to triumph from that spot.

“He’ll do it however you want to do it,” Lems said. “He does it pretty much on his own. Actually, when everybody’s driving hard on his horse, it makes him go more.”

Splendid lived up to expectations, wearing down early leader E-Pass in deep stretch and holding off the Lightning Lane charge of Father Mike to down him by 1-3/4 lengths in a career-best 1:53.4. I’m Out rallied for show. Splendid boosted his lifetime bankroll north of $100,000.

Todd Rooney, who trains Splendid and owns with April Mance’s Trotting For Bourbon, indicated he intends to give the colt a month off . . . maybe.

“There are some races for him at Oak Grove, so I have to give it some thought,” Rooney said. “I’ll probably give him a well-deserved break.”

Entering the Currier & Ives, a number of factors marked Spaaaanzano as the horse to beat.  For one, he’d already banked $372,150 in his career. For another, he’d recently taken the $100,000 Battle of Bunker Hill at Plainridge and finished second in a pair of Ohio Sire Stakes. Perhaps most importantly, he’s trained by Chris Beaver, who owns the Coraggioso-Grace N Charlie gelding with Spaaaartners, Bill Manes and Leo Fleming.

Since 2002, Beaver had won the Currier & Ives — counting filly and open divisions — seven times. While he didn’t claim ownership of the event on Saturday, he certainly extended the lease. Once Aaron Merriman put Spaaaanzano on top, he had only to deflect the mild first-up challenge of Reggianito, who ultimately broke stride, and cruise home under wraps by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:53.3. Memorynimagination and Bird And Grenade rounded out the ticket.

“I was 100 percent under wraps,” Merriman confirmed. “I know Chris won’t over-race him, but I think he’ll give this guy some opportunities against Grand Circuit horses. This horse has done everything that’s been asked of him.”

Merriman also offered some insight into the colt’s name and why it contains four consecutive a’s.

“They knew I’d be driving him, and my name starts with two a’s,” he said. “They wanted two a’s for him, and they just combined them.”

Hmmm.