Frattina Diablo S and Create Escape emerged victorious in the Friday, May 8 co-features at The Meadowlands, a pair of $27,397 high-end conditioned trotting events for three-year-olds with Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks dreams.
In the split for fillies, the Tony Alagna-trained Frattina Diablo S, sent to the gate as the 4-5 favourite with driver Johnathan Ahle, sat a three-hole down the backside before making her way towards leader Caviart Queen Emma (Bradley Chrisholm), who set the pace at the quarter and half in :28.3 and :57.3, respectively.
Frattina Diablo S was surging on the outside in second as the Caviart Queen Emma clicked three-quarters in 1:25.4, but through the stretch, Frattina Diablo S trotted away from her foes, hitting the wire 3-1/4-lengths clear of second-place finisher Che Bella (Mark Herschberger) in a lifetime-best 1:53.2. Chant (Trond Smedshammer) was third.
“We were very high on her last year and [part owner] Steve Stewart and I decided to stop after Lexington to give her extra time to grow up since she was such a big filly last year at two and she came in Jan. 1 a different animal,” said winning trainer Tony Alagna. “We have high hopes for her.”
Frattina Diablo S, a Captain Corey-Lindy Strong filly also owned by Swedish breeder Dreamlover Ab, returned $3.80 after winning for the second time in seven lifetime tries.
Ahle completed a driving sweep of the marquee events after guiding Create Escape to victory lane for trainer Ake Svanstedt in the division for colts and geldings. The Gimpanzee-Final Countdown colt completed the mile in 1:55.
Practical Man (Tyler Miller), the 7-5 favourite, was gunning for a second straight score, but after going parked for the first seven-sixteenths-of-a-mile before clearing the lead, he didn’t have it in the stretch, failing to hit the board, finishing fourth.
Create Escape vacated the pocket with an eighth-of-a-mile to trot and eased his way to a confident score, holding off the late-charging Sevenato (Smedshammer) by a half-length. The winner's stablemate, Read The Room (Sarah Svanstedt), was third.
“He qualified well last week and felt good the whole way,” said Ahle.
After going off as the 3-1 third choice, Create Escape paid $8.80 to win. He is now three-for-five in his career for New Jersey owner Create Escape Stable.
Ahle led the driver colony with three wins on the night while Svanstedt’s double paced the trainers.
Jeremy Morrison recorded his first-ever driving win at The Meadowlands after guiding Classic Pickle to the winner’s circle in race eight. His significant other, Annie Stoebe, trains the three-year-old by Tactical Landing-Classic Martine who paid $15.80 after completing the mile in 1:55.1.
All-source betting on the 14-race card totalled $2,497,536 USD.
Racing resumes on Saturday at 6:35 p.m.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack; photo of Frattina Diablo S winning on May 8)