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Wrenn 8-Bagger Highlights Busy Weekend

by Frank Carulli

February 20, 2018

Ronnie Wrenn Jr. drove feature-race winner Camera Lady ($4.40) and longshots Diamondtoothgertie ($17) and My Fleet Three ($19) as part of an eight-win Saturday at Northfield Park.

Wrenn now has 81 wins this year, good for third in North America behind Aaron Merriman (111) and Trace Tetrick (89). 

Wrenn wasn't the only driver to have a memorable weekend. 

Ryan Anderson won the 3,000th race of his career behind Olivia V Friday at Hawthorne. Anderson, 37, began his career in 1998 and, two years later at age 20, became the youngest driver to win a Breeders Crown race when Popcorn Penny won the 3-Year-Old Filly Pace.

Hawthorne's winter meet ended Monday with a familiar ring: Casey Leonard was leading driver for the fourth consecutive year with 38 wins on 25 cards.

Jody Jamieson visited the Woodbine winners' circle five times and has 12 victories over the last three Saturdays at the Canada oval.

Billy Dobson, a five-time driving champ at Saratoga earlier this decade, won five races over the first two days of the track's 77th season that began Sunday, including Do Over Hanover in the co-featured open pace.

IN THE XPRESSLANE: Major Uptrend (Tony Morgan) paced his second consecutive sub-1:50 mile at Dover Downs last Thursday, the same day his trainer, Tim Crissman, reached the 1,500 win plateau. ... Heza Thrill N (Trace Tetrick) won Miami Valley's $24,000 open pace Saturday for his 32nd victory that pushed his earnings over $300,000. ... Fans can vote for who they believe will be the richest 3-year-old trotter this year if they pick up a copy of Hoof Beats magazine's April issue. The voters were right on the money in 2017, predicting Ariana G as the winner. ... One bettor picked the winner of races 3 through 7 at the Meadowlands last Friday, turning a 50-cent Pick 5 wager into a $30,385 payout. ...Loralee Johnson sent out 19 winners in 25 days to win Hawthorne's winter meet training title.