Parked the entire first quarter before making the front, Aperfectyankee had plenty left in the tank and rolled to victory in a stake-record 1:53 in Tuesday’s Keystone Classic at The Meadows.
The $94,998 event for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters was contested over three divisions, with Rossini and Bambino Glide taking the other splits.
Charlie Norris, who drove Aperfectyankee for owner/trainer Jim Oscarsson, said he wasn’t unduly concerned about the demanding :27.3 opening panel.
“I was just trying to let everyone get settled, and I didn’t want to rush him,” Norris said. “I thought he would be fine. We got a little breather the second quarter.”
Wind Of The North was 1-3/4 lengths back in second, with Sailer Eddie third. The time erased the previous stake record of 1:54.1 held jointly by Another Amaretto and Lindys Jersey Boy. Aperfectyankee, a son of Yankee Glide-Asixpakfromperfect, extended his career bankroll to $587,119.
Bambino Glide retook the lead at the three-eighths and controlled the mile handily for Dave Palone, downing Possessed Fashion by 1-1/4 lengths in a career-best 1:53.1. Picture This rallied for show.
“He got out of there on the right foot,” Palone said, “so I thought I would let him go down the road. He went a good trip. I was really happy with how quiet he was behind the gate.”
Julie Miller trains the Yankee Glide-Raising The Bar gelding, who now has won seven of 15 lifetime starts, for Kapildeo Singh and Shakoor’s Racing Stable.
Rossini led every step for Howard Parker but had to dig in late to defeat the closing Body Balance by a nose in 1:53.3. Cantab Abs was well back in third. Jim Raymer, who conditions Rossini for Harbor Racing Stable, said he’s looking forward to campaigning the Classic Photo-Beverly Crusher gelding in some late-season stakes . . . and as a four-year-old.
“He has the Circle City at Hoosier, the American National and the Galt,” Raymer said. “He’s a homebred. We had his mother, we had his grandmother, and they’ve been nothing but good.”
Lightly raced Latest Desire followed cover willingly and took the fastest division of Tuesday’s companion feature for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings in 1:49.2. Palone, who won six races on the 15-race card, captured the other two splits — both for trainer Chris Oakes — with Big Time Promise and Shock It To Em.
In his first start on anything but a mile track, Latest Desire picked up the first-over cover of Ultimate Beachboy and brushed past him in the lane for Dave Magee to defeat him by three-quarters of a length. Fateful Choice completed the ticket. Latest Desire has only 10 career starts, including seven this year, but Nick Giberson, who trains the son of Real Desire-Latest Design for Steven Newcom, Larry Taylor and Tex Moats, said there’s method to his madness.
“He has a lot of stakes later on, so we’re just keeping him fresh,” Giberson said. “He has four or five weeks back in Illinois and Indiana that will be pretty stout, so we’re just saving him. He’s never really been tested. He’ll keep right on motoring. He’ll keep pacing right through the wire and kick it in gear when he has to.”
Big Time Promise made it look easy on the front end, demolishing the field by six lengths in 1:49.3 and securing his ninth win in 18 career outings. Mcalvin and Net Ten EOM were second and third, respectively.
“Every time I’ve raced him, I’ve really, really liked him,” Palone said. “I had it in my mind that he was probably the strongest horse in the group and that I would just stretch him out today so that it would take a mile in 1:50 or better to beat him.”
Conrad Zurich owns the Real Desire-Yankee Promise gelding.
Shock It To Em, the Pennsylvania Stallion Series champion, worked out comfortable fractions on the lead and easily held off Johns Polyview by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:51.2. Varadero Hanover was third.
“I figured I’d get it as cheap as I could,” Palone said. “He’s been super all year long. He’s a pleasure to drive — makes my job easier.”
Hauser Bros. Racing, Chuck Pompey, Susan Oakes and Timothy Cable own the Western Terror-Tootsie J gelding.
(The Meadows)