Forty-three freshman trotting fillies got their first stakes experience in Wednesday’s $229,334 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes at the Meadows. and, in a statistical oddity, four emerged as national season’s leaders

by scoring in 1:58.3.

The quartet of promising youngsters, now the fastest two-year-old trotting fillies on a five-eighths-mile track, includes Sculpted Vanity, Calcutta, Maven and Check Me Out.

The event, known as the Meadow Gladys, was contested over six divisions, with Spicy Mombo and Blue Yonder taking the other splits. Yannick Gingras and trainer Jonas Czernyson enjoyed stakes doubles (Maven, Blue Yonder), while Dave Palone doubled with Sculpted Vanity and Spicy Mombo.

Sculpted Vanity found herself third along the pylons and blocked to the outside at the top of the stretch, with the Lightning Lane her only salvation. It’s a scary move for many green trotters, but Sculpted Vanity charged inside like a veteran, downing End of Innocence by a head. Early leader Valentine Queen was third.

“I had no choice but the Lightning Lane, and she was perfect,” Palone said. “She’s a class filly. Once she got daylight, she was full of trot.”

Linda Toscano trains Sculpted Vanity, a daughter of Donato Hanover--In To Me, for Martin Sternberg and Melvin Katz.

Maven tried to quarter-pole move By A Nose Hanover, but was forced to retreat to the pocket when the leader wouldn’t yield. In the stretch, however, Maven easily outkicked By A Nose Hanover and defeated her by three and a quarter lengths despite bearing out. Sand Violent Blu rallied from well back for third.

“I didn’t care about not getting by the first time,” Gingras said. “I just wanted to get decent fractions. I didn’t want a half in 1:03 or something. She usually runs in actually, so we rigged her to prevent that. Maybe we had too much stuff on her. Maybe it wasn’t needed.”

W.J. Donovan owns the daughter of Glidemaster--M Stewart.

Parked for one-half mile before clearing to the lead, Spicy Mombo had plenty in reserve to triumph in 2:00.2, three and three-quarter lengths better than Just Cause. Anna Mona Hanover completed the ticket.

“She’s such a nice little horse,” said Toni Rose, assistant to winning trainer Steve Elliott. “She got a little lost on the front, but she was very good. She’s versatile and so relaxed on the track. She doesn’t fight you, and that’s a big thing with trotting fillies. She’s eligible to all the big stakes. We’ll see how she comes out of this race and go from there.”

Carter Racing Stable, Black Horse Racing, Martha Frank and John Fodera own Spicy Mombo, a daughter of Cantab Hall--Horizontal Mombo.

Elsewhere on the card, Frontierpan, a daughter of No Pan Intended--Disneypan, became the season’s fastest freshman pacing filly on a five-eighths-mile track when she captured a maiden race in 1:55.4 for Palone, trainer Ron Burke and breeder/owner Peter Pan Stables.

Live racing at the Meadows resumes Friday with a 15-race card featuring six divisions of a $120,000 PA Stallion Series stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. First post is 6:55 p.m.

(The Meadows)