On a stormy night at The Meadows, Malinka avoided the rain — and the rest of the field — as she cruised to an easy front-end victory in a stake-record 1:54.1 in a division of Friday’s $160,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series event

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The stake for two-year-old filly pacers was conducted over eight divisions, with One Nights Desire, Franny The Great, Slaying The Field, Love You Bye, Cassies Winner, Upfront Secret and Fast Talking Emma taking the other $20,000 splits.

As good as Malinka was, she had to share the spotlight with Dave Palone, who drove six consecutive winners (Malinka, One Nights Desire, Slaying The Field, Love You Bye, Cassies Winner, Upfront Secret) in the stake. Trainer Tom Shay enjoyed a stake double with Malinka and Love You Bye.

Malinka took to the track just before the skies opened up, but it might have taken more than weather to stop her, though, as she worked out a comfortable front half in :58.1 and cruised past the wire in 1:54.1. That knocked a tick off the stake record established moments before by One Nights Desire and equals the fastest mile this year by a freshman filly pacer on a five-eighths-mile track. Dream Of Winning was three and a quarter lengths back in second, with Redtogreen Hanover third.
Howard and Judith Taylor own Malinka, a homebred daughter of McArdle-Nightlife.

One Nights Desire had a tougher time making the front, dueling with Youregonnamissthis before achieving the point. Once on top, she scored by four and three-quarter lengths over a rallying Sara Diamond, while Youregonnamissthis saved show.

Scott Mogan trains One Nights Desire, a daughter of Real Desire-One Fast Trick, for Mary Stonack, Michael Palmeri and Joseph Viggiano.

A diminutive filly, Franny The Great qualified in a pedestrian 2:01.3 preparing for her career debut. But trainer Brian Brown told winning driver Brett Miller she had more in the tank. Miller hesitated only a moment before moving her first over to victory in 1:56.1.

“Brian told me not to be fooled by her size or her qualifier,” Miller said. “He told me to race her to win. For a few steps, I waited for cover, but it was taking too much time so I pulled the trigger. She really responded.”

Golden Fool was second, four and a quarter lengths in arrears, while early leader Chrome Over completed the ticket. Irving Bork owns Franny The Great, a daughter of Real Desire-Jiffys Gem.

Grand Circuit Week begins Saturday at The Meadows with three $50,000 eliminations for the Delvin Miller Adios and five splits of a $249,410 Pennsylvania Sires Stake for two-year-old filly pacers. First post is 6:55 p.m. The $500,000 (est.) Adios final is set for Saturday afternoon, July 30, when the card will offer more than $1 million in purses.

(The Meadows)