Eighteen three-year-old pacing fillies contested over a quarter-million dollars in purses in a trio of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes events on Friday
(June 18) afternoon at Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack. And while All Heart Gal and Dancinwiththestarz both lived up to odds-on billing, it was Ruffles Kiss who took top honours.
The three-year-old daughter of Blissfull Hall no doubt took the most compelling division, coming first-over against even-money favourite World Fame (Yannick Gingras) on the backstretch, forcing a :27.2 third quarter after a spritely initial pace. As the two dueled on the final turn, Its De Lovely (Jeff Gregory) and Queen Me (David Miller) fanned across the track, while the pocket-sitting Legerdepan (Daniel Dube) ducked to the open stretch and the locked-in Sand Gesture (Tim Tetrick) was hard-pressed for room. In the end, trainer-driver Joe Pavia, Jr. prevailed with Ruffles Kiss, just holding off the hard-closing Queen Me from four-wide in a 1:51.4 effort, with the entire field covered by a length and a half at the winning post.
All Heart Gal (Allamerican Ingot) scored a front-running 1:52.2 victory in her division, holding off the first-over Kates Joy by a head under George Napolitano, Jr. Dancinwiththestarz proved to be the most decisive of the winners in the three divisions, pulling away under Jim Morrill, Jr. by 2-1/2 lengths from Imperial Flower and Six Pistol in a 1:52.3 mile.
In Friday's overnight feature, the $32,000 Open Trot, the race shaped up to be a great horse race. With over $5 million in career earnings among the field, the competitors included the likes of Buck I St Pat, In Focus, and Chester mainstay Lolique. But Michael Andrew's Likeabatoutahell ($16.60) took complete advantage of a pressured pace, turning a pocket trip into a 1:52 triumph and breaking the overall track record for trotters in the act.
The seven-year-old SJs Caviar gelding enjoyed a cozy pocket trip behind the dueling Lubbock (Tony Morgan) and Lanson (Mike Lachance), stalking through middle fractions of :55.1 and 1:23.4. While Buck I St Pat (Tim Tetrick) fanned three-wide from second-over on the far turn, it was Likeabatoutahell whose closing kick would give him the upper hand. At the top of the stretch, Yannick Gingras moved him to the open stretch, and the response was instant, as Likeabatoutahell pulled away to win by a length and a half. Buck I St Pat mustered a second-place finish, while Lubbock faded to third.
(Harrah's Chester)