Rookie trotting fillies kicked off their Pennsylvania Sire Stakes campaigns on Wednesday, July 2 at The Meadows with three divisions of the first leg, dubbed the Meadow Gladys, along with four Stallion Series contests.

Driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. dominated the card, winning two Sire Stakes divisions and two Stallion Series dashes in a six-win performance.

In the $54,773 first division of the Meadows Gladys, Ginger Tree Lex made amends for a break in her first start with a closing victory in 1:57.1. After :28.2, :58.4, and 1:28 fractions, she was buried third along the rail on the last turn. Wrenn waited patiently until a parting of the seas occurred, and he was able to guide her through to a head victory over Nuance (Dexter Dunn) with Maya Patel Hanover (Ake Svanstedt) missing by a neck in third. 

“There was a recall and she got riled up and made a break,” trainer Sam Beegle said of her debut.  “We changed her to an open bridle and added an ear hood, and I thought today she handled it like a pro.”

Beegle, along with Ginger Tree Ventures LLC, Knollview Stable 2, and Robert Reber Jr., purchased Ginger Tree Lex, a Bar Hopping-Perfect Chance filly, for $25,000 at last fall’s Harrisburg sale. 

Trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt and Ellie Hanover left alertly in the $55,321 second division and sat a comfortable pocket behind betting favourite Cherrys Girl (Anthony MacDonald) through :29.3 and :59.4 first-half fractions, but at the five-eighths that all changed. From there, Ellie Hanover popped the pocket, and she and Cherrys Girl battled through three-quarters in 1:28.2 and into the stretch with Ellie Hanover 1-3/4 lengths better at the wire in 1:57.2. Cherrys Girl settled for place while driver Chris Shaw and Pa Patricia rallied for show.   

“I could have waited till the stretch, but I thought the flow would be coming and I didn’t want to get caught in,” a grinning Svanstedt said, explaining his popping the two hole at the five-eighths pole.  

A $416,667 Harrisburg purchase, Ellie Hanover has had a “good attitude from the beginning" according to Svanstedt, who owns the Captain Corey-Expect A Lot filly in partnership with SRF Stable and Brochart Stable Inc.

The $55,321 final division of the Meadow Gladys was the fastest split of the day. Atlantic Summer and Wrenn patiently worked themselves to the front in a :29.1 first quarter, trotted to middle splits of :59 and 1:27.4, and from there rolled to a 1:56 victory by 1-1/2 lengths. Next Big Think (Dunn) finished second, followed by Shoestrings (Jim Marohn Jr.). 

Trotting home in :28.1, Atlantic Summer had company from Next Big Think down the lane, but the Ron Burke trainee’s victory was never in question, nor has her talent been.  

“She has never made a mistake from day one through today,” Burke said.  “She’s been one of the best fillies this winter.”

The Captain Corey-Perfect Summer K filly, owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, James Simpson, Larry Karr, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, was purchased for $69,444 at the Harrisburg sale.

JL Serenity looked every bit the part of a 1-9 betting favourite as she romped in the first Stallion Series division. In the fastest of four $27,397 splits, Wrenn rated the Captain Corey-Cheesy Hanover filly to moderate fractions before sprinting home in :28.1 for a 3-3/4-length, 1:57.1 victory over pocket sitter Misty Rose Hanover (Jeremy Indof) with Dirty Banana (Simon Allard) third.  A $27,778 Harrisburg purchase, JL Serenity is trained by Vernon Beachy for owners 518 Group LLC and Ryan Smith.

Those same connections also delivered the second-fastest Stallion Series division. Intisaar Mil, a $40,451 Lexington purchase, and driver Wrenn landed third from the rail, but Wrenn quickly moved the 4-5 favourite to the lead, and the filly drew off in the final quarter to a 3-3/4-length victory in 1:57.4.  Trained by Beachy, the Bar Hopping-Frisky Magic filly is owned in partnership by 518 Group LLC, Ryan Smith, and Gitup Racing.

Dunn and Faire Maid Hanover were able to hold off a fast-closing Darling Corey (MacDonald) to win the second Stallion Series division.  The winning Captain Corey-Fashion Defiant filly, owned by Frank Chick and trainer Jamie Sullivan, used a pocket trip for her maiden victory in 1:59.2 by a head over Darling Corey. Mis Amigas (Mike Wilder) finished third.  Faire Maid Hanover was a $25,000 Harrisburg purchase.

No Drama Llama gave Dunn his second Stallion Series victory of the day. The filly kicked home in :28.1 to score a 1:59.1 victory by 1-1/2 lengths over pacesetter Impeccable Hanover (Dave Palone), who finished second ahead of Dont Ask Again (MacDonald). Racing patiently through the early going, the daughter of Greenshoe-Imbossible was tipped to the outside past the three-quarter pole on her way to victory. Trained by Marcus Melander, No Drama Llama was bred and is owned by Courant Inc.

Huntress captured the card's $24,658 Fillies and Mares Open Pace, cutting the mile in 1:51.3 with Palone at the lines. Virgil Morgan Jr. trains the mare, a six-year-old daughter of Huntsville-Love And Honor, for Let It Ride Stables Inc. and W.J. Donovan. My Red Sea (Justin Walters) took the place cheque with Jillian B Miki (Wrenn) completing the trifecta.

Wrenn's six wins gave him top driving honours for the day. Vernon Beachy’s two Stallion Series victories made him the afternoon's top trainer.

Hollywood Casino at The Meadows will resume racing on Thursday with a first post 12:45 p.m.

(With files from the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association; photo of Atlantic Summer winning on July 2)