Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action returned to Hollywood Casino at The Meadows on Friday afternoon, May 8 with driver Ridge Warren sweeping the two $67,123 divisions with three-year-old male trotters Captain Vodka and Fineline Hanover.

In the first division, 8-5 favourite Captain Vodka and driver Ridge Warren took advantage of a swift opening half of :56 on their way to a lifetime-best 1:54.3 victory. Sitting third, Warren moved the Captain Corey-Argo Dolce gelding past the five-eighths pole, clearing in the stretch and holding off the resurgence of the shuffled Greenarrow Hanover (Dave Palone) and Hamlet Hall (Mike Wilder) by a length.

Captain Vodka is trained by Robert Baggitt Jr., who shares ownership with J L Sadowsky of Bonita Spring, Florida and Christine Baggitt of Bangor, Pennsylvania. The gelding rebounded from a miscue in the Weiss Series for his first PASS win and sixth career victory from 17 starts.

Warren scored again in the second division, this time using a :28.2 last quarter to guide 1-2 favourite Fineline Hanover to a career-best effort of 1:53.2. Racing an unhurried fifth for the first three-quarters, Warren confidently moved the gelded son of Captain Corey-Finesse Hanover three-wide halfway through the final turn en route to the 1-1/2-length victory over Dilly Hanover (Braxten Boyd). R Tommy Collins (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) was third. 

Ron Coyne Jr. trains Fineline Hanover, who picked up his first PASS win and is now five-for-10 in his career after winning his first three sophomore starts, for owners Ron Coyne Stables of Allentown, New Jersey, Blair Corbeil of Leduc, Alta., Mike McAllister of Beaumont, Alta., and Larry Gregg Stable of Forest Hills, New York.

Driver Dave Palone swept the three $27,397 divisions of the Pennsylvania Stallion Series as part of a five-win day. Harlem Hanover was the fastest of the three Stallion Series winners in 1:54.3 for trainer William Dougherty Jr., who struck again with Glenlivet winning the next division in a career-best 1:54.4. Palone also guided the lightly raced Captain Nathan to a front-stepping Stallion Series victory by a nose in 1:54.4 for trainer Jessica Hayter.

Live harness racing at The Meadows returns on Thursday, May 14 with a post time set for 12:45 p.m.

(With files from Meadows Standardbred Owners Association; photo of Fineline Hanover winning on May 8)