Pink Pistol rocketed through the lane to pull off a 10-1 upset in the fastest division of Saturday’s $161,047 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes for three-year-old filly trotters at The Meadows.
The event, known as the Stenographer, was contested over three divisions, with Ginny Weasley (13-1) and Spicedbourbongirl (9-1) completing the longshot parade in the PASS opener. Jeff Gregory enjoyed a stakes double behind Pink Pistol and Spicedbourbongirl.
Pink Pistol hadn’t raced in a month, as Rob Harmon, who trains the daughter of Cantab Hall-August Revenue for Harmon Racing Stable, Knightstalker Stable and Lynne Mondrick, gave her an extended break to help cure her gaiting problems.
“She needed to go home and not ship so much,” Harmon said. “She has a little tying-up issue, and shipping is not her best thing. She’ll stay right here in the sires stakes. She’s eligible for a couple in Canada, but she has to show us that she’s back to herself before we start going up there.”
In the Stenographer, she got away third, saved ground and brushed through the stretch to triumph in 1:55, one and a half lengths better than Sunset Glider, with Candy Lane third. It was the fifth win for Pink Pistol in eight lifetime outings.
Ginny Weasley never had won a stake, but Lucas Wallin nevertheless used her twice — once for early position from post eight, once to pursue the leader second over. She avoided the breaking Moots out of the final turn and scored in 1:55.1, a career-best clocking. Miss Tezsla was second, one and a half lengths back, while Black Broadway earned show.
“She showed a lot of speed last year, and I won at the Meadowlands with her earlier this year,” Wallin said. “So we told the owner to give her a little break and aim for the stakes races. The trip went great today, but she won pretty easy.”
Ake Svanstedt trains the daughter of Andover Hall-Donepunk for Torp Trotting, Inc.
Spicedbourbongirl also collected her first stakes victory when she zipped past the 1-5 favourite, Womans Will, in the lane and prevailed in 1:55.4 for owner William B. Weaver III. Womans Will saved place, half a length in arrears, while Kathy Parker completed the ticket.
“She won pretty handy at Pocono in an overnight, so we thought we might as well give her a shot against the better girls,” said Gregory, who also conditions the daughter of Cantab Hall-All In The Muscles. “It was only her second start of the year, so I didn’t want to abuse her. I was hoping I could get lucky and save some ground.”
Saturday’s card also featured a $60,000 PA Stallion Series stake for sophomore filly trotters — yet another showcase for Goodtogo Hanover, who won her seventh consecutive race. Witnesstheprincess and Shelovesumore also took $20,000 splits.
As Goodtogo Hanover zipped to the top from post seven, driver Brian Zendt, noticed an unusual problem. A GoPro camera attached to her sulky to capture live images had loosened and flipped. The images transmitted may have been upside down, but the daughter of Explosive Matter-Grammy Hall stayed atop her game, winning in 1:56.2.
“I don’t know if it [the GoPro] bothered her, but it was rubbing her,” Zendt said. “She was a little extra hot today. I thought she was a little quieter last time. I didn’t plan on being at the quarter in :27.2, but as you could see, I was a passenger.”
Keystone Taylor finished three and a quarter lengths back in second, with Best Of Dreams third. Bill Zendt trains Goodtogo Hanover and owns with Gary Saul.
Witnesstheprincess rebounded from a pair of break-marred outings to collect a front-end victory for Aaron Merriman and trainer Chris Beaver, who owns the daughter of Andover Hall-Mystical Moonlight with Synerco Ventures and Michael Robinson. Mystical Power earned place, three and a quarter lengths back, while Glidinthruparadise finished third.
“She had a couple good starts here earlier this year, but we had some issues with her shoeing and her feet,” Merriman said. “She wasn’t getting over the track. Chris made some adjustments and thought she would be better. She really showed it today.”
Shelovesumore emerged from several months of vexing medical issues to rally for a half-length victory — at 20-1 — over Summer Moonshine in 1:57.1. Explosive High finished third. Tony Hall drove for trainer Sharon Donella, who owns the homebred daughter of War Paint-Wasador with Kathleen Quinn-Hodel.
“It’s been a torturous three months,” Donella said. “She had some problems with her cycle. Then she got a real bad sinus infection. We finally got the hormones worked out, the sinuses cleared up, and we got us a horse.”
In the $22,500 Winners Over 10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Pace, Unlocked powered to a front-end victory in 1:49, fastest ever at The Meadows by an older pacer. Fred And Ginger held the previous mark of 1:49.2. Jim Pantaleano piloted the five-year-old son of Duneside Perch-Miss Major Power, who boosted his career bankroll to $417,244, for trainer Norm Parker and owner Megan Rogers Racing Stables.
(The Meadows)