Wilder/Parker/Key are dancing with fire at Meadows

Dancing With Fire was ablaze in the third leg of the Opening Bell, lowering his lifetime mark 1 1/5 seconds while scoring in 1:53.2 on Tuesday at The Meadows. It was his second win in the series for 3- and 4-year-old pacing colts and geldings, which will culminate in next Tuesday's final for approximately $30,000.

After Mike Wilder gunned Dancing With Fire to the lead, the 4-year-old son of The Panderosa-Firelight Dancer accepted cover and waited patiently for the stretch. He blew by RC Raider, who raced gamely first-over, to down that rival by three-quarters of a length. Special Character was a rallying third. Norm Parker trains Dancing With Fire for owner-breeder Bob Key.

In the other $12,000 series division, the Lightning Lane bid of Omar Pheeny fell just short, but he was placed first after being bothered in the stretch by the unofficial winner, West Side Dragon. Aaron Merriman drove Omar Pheeny, a 4-year-old gelded son of Towner's Big Guy-Polly's Opal, for trainer Ron Potter and owner Leslie Lane. West Side Dragon was placed back to second while Sfumato finished third. The disqualification extended a month of frustration for West Side Dragon, who had lost his four most recent races by a combined margin of less than two lengths.

Dave Palone drove five winners and Wilder four on the 14-race card. On the training side, Ron Burke enjoyed a four-bagger while Parker scored three victories. (The Meadows)

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