Star Of India blew by her more heralded stablemate and went on to capture a division of the Kat N Mouse Series - an event for three-year-old pacing fillies - Friday at The Meadows. Palazzo Princess took the other $15,000 division in the opening leg.
Although Star Of India was coupled with Amazon Queen as a Ron Burke-trained entry, the latter probably drew much of the 1-5 support based on her flashy, 1:53.4 maiden-breaker on March 16. But when Amazon Queen struggled to reach the lead at the three-quarter pole, Star of India and Eric Ledford powered by.
The daughter of Real Desire scored in 1:54 over Western Six and Amazon Queen. Sylvia Burke, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, JJK Stables and Wall Bros. Stable own Star of India. It was one of five wins on the 14-race card
for Ledford.
Palazzo Princess, a daughter of Jate Lobell, went wire-to-wire for Aaron Merriman, trainer Paul Kennedy, Jr. and owner Paint Creek Farms. She stopped the clock in 1:54.1 en route to defeating Outstanding BB and My Lady Bonnard.
In the $25,000 Filly & Mare Preferred Pace, Natalie turned in a front-end victory for Mike Wilder in 1:51.4 – the fastest mile this year by a four-year-old mare on a five-eighths mile track. Osbornes Gypsy was second, and Autumn Magic – Natalie’s stablemate – finished third.
Kevin McDermott trains the daughter of Jennas Beach Boy for Fran Azur of Coraopolis, PA.
(The Meadows)