Brian Sears worked out a dream trip for Flanagan Memory, a winner for his second straight start at The Meadowlands by virtue of a commanding performance in the 2015 John Cashman Memorial Free-For-All Trot.

Public choice and 2015 Elitloppet winner Magic Tonight (Orjan Kihlstrom) forged to the front from post four along with Meladys Monet (Jason Barlett), who had more step off the gate and made it to the pylons. Magic Tonight sat the pocket through the :26.1 opener, but moved back out and cleared. Intimidate (Scott Zeron) was right on his back and looped to the front, and that lead was short-lived as Market Share (Tim Tetrick) was out and driving as well.

Just past the :55 half, Market Share controlled the tempo and Magic Tonight was shuffled back to third along the rail, locked in by the outer flow. Obrigado (Mark MacDonald) was first up and Flanagan Memory (Brian Sears) was second over through the 1:23 third panel. Sears tipped him out three-wide in the stretch and he exploded with trot with a 1:51.4 mile and no threat through the lane before tripping the timer in 2:05.4 for the 1-1/8 mile distance. Gural Hanover (Matt Kakaley) was another three back in second with Obrigado holding on for show over Natural Herbie (Verlin Yoder).

“I watched him race last year at four and he’s a really nice horse and he’s come a long way…he just keeps getting better,” said Sears in the winner’s circle. “We got the kind of trip he likes, he likes to close it up if he gets some good flow and it worked out well.”

Flanagan Memory (Kadabra – Classy Stacy) notched his 13th lifetime win for trainer Rene Dion, who co-owns with Liette Flanagan of Repentigny, Que. The lion’s share of the purse lifted the 2013 O’Brien Award winner’s lifetime bankroll to more than $828,000.

(Standardbred Canada)