Fashion Green Becomes Meadows' Fastest Freshman Trotter
![Fashion Green winning at The Meadows](/sites/default/files/styles/headline_image_1024_x_577/public/2024-08/FashionGreen-080224-ChrisGooden-1024.jpg?itok=zxk7CeeT)
Fashion Green became the fastest freshman trotter ever at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows when he blazed the mile in 1:53.2 in a $111,067 division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes on Friday, Aug. 2.
The time for the Greenshoe-Fashion Athena gelding eclipsed the previous track record of 1:54 established by the filly Dreamonhigh in 2021.
In the other $111,622 division of the stakes, known as the Florida Pro, Cheers Hanover established yet another track record when he triumphed in 1:54, knocking a tick from Captain Corey’s mark of 1:54 for freshman colt trotters set in 2020.
Dave Palone floated to the top with Fashion Green in :27.2, a swift quarter that didn’t concern Palone at all.
“He’s as good a horse as you’ll ever want to see. He has a perfect mind,” said Palone. “Has anybody seen anything that could go where he went? I haven’t, and a lot of great horses have raced here.”
Fashion Green defeated the rallying Father TJ by 1-3/4 lengths, extending his career unbeaten streak to four, with Arrowhead Hanover third. Jim Campbell trains the homebred Fashion Green for Fashion Farms LLC.
Dismissed at 21-1, Cheers Hanover saved ground throughout, pouring through the Lightning Lane for Hunter Myers to edge favourite Meshuggah by a head. Elan Hanover completed the ticket.
Ron Burke conditions the son of Bar Hopping-Chez Lucie, who also has a PA All-Stars win to his credit, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Jim Simpson and J&T Silva – Purnel & Libby.
Hey Porter (1:55.2), Abraham Hanover (1:57.1), Munster Mash Trick (1:58) and Scudo Hanover (1:56.4) each took a $27,778 division of the Pennsylvania Stallion Series for two-year-old male trotters.
In only his second career start, Hey Porter steadily drew away from Bell Hall for Palone and soundly defeated him by 6-1/4 lengths in 1:55.2 to earn his maiden-breaker. Ill Have A Double finished third.
“I watched a couple replays of him and he looked like a nice enough horse,” said Palone. “He finished good in both races. I ended up caught on the lead, but he handled it well. When I took out the plugs, he knew what to do.”
Tony Alagna trains the son of Bar Hopping-Chelsees A Winner for Steve Stewart.
Summoned as a replacement for a driver who had to bow out, Larry Ferrari made the most of his opportunity, piloting Golden Compass to a front-end victory in Friday’s $13,889 leg of the Great Lakes Amateur Drivers Association (GLADA) Trot.
Tapped when original driver Steve Oldford was called to participate in the birth of his seventh grandchild, Ferrari hurriedly left Tioga Downs where he had one in, made a quick pit stop at his home in Cleveland and arrived at The Meadows in time to greet Golden Compass.
The six-year-old Sebastian K S-Zette Angel gelding responded well to the change, downing Troycen and Brandon Presto by a length in 1:55.2. Rattling Pine with Tom Svrcek and Southwind Caine with Lauren Harmon completed the ticket.
“He had a lot of trot left,” said Ferrari. “I just tapped him to get his attention. He’s a nice horse to drive.”
Allen Sisco trains Golden Compass for Oldford Racing LLC.
Live harness racing at The Meadows continues on Saturday at the special post time of 5:10 p.m.
(With files from Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)