Under wraps for most of the mile, juvenile champ Shake It Cerry remained undefeated in 2014 with a 1:55.3 romp in Wednesday’s $93,860 Currier & Ives at The Meadows.
The event for three-year-old filly trotters was conducted over three divisions, with Lifetime Pursuit and Broadway Socks taking the other splits. Ron Pierce and trainer Jimmy Takter teamed for a C&I double with Shake It Cerry and Lifetime Pursuit.
On paper, the first division looked like a one-horse race. It was, as the 1-9 Shake It Cerry cruised to victory — her seventh straight and third in as many starts this year — defeating the pocket-sitting Take The Money by two and three-quarter lengths. Jessies Song was third.
Although the outcome never was in doubt, Pierce wanted to make sure the champ went enough to get something from the race.
“I hope I went fast enough with her for that,” Pierce said. “If she needs to go faster her next race, I’m sure Jimmy will train her a little more. I couldn’t be more happy with her. The whole mile, I was just ‘Whoa, Cerry. Whoa, Cerry. Whoa, sweetie’ — even in the lane. The more easy ones we can get into her now, the better she’ll be in the long run.”
Solveig’s Racing partners own the daughter of Donato Hanover-Solveig, who vaulted over $900,000 in career earnings.
Her stablemate, Lifetime Pursuit, opened her sophomore campaign with two straight losses after winning six of 11 starts at two. Pierce, however, indicated she had a legitimate excuse for each of her 2014 defeats.
“The first start, she got roughed up pretty good and wasn’t quite up to it,” he said. “Last week, she ran into a roadblock, but finished up really good. Today, I didn’t have to use her much to make the lead and she just cruised home. She’s right up there with the best. She’s not a Shake It Cerry, but I don’t think there’s ever been another Shake It Cerry.”
In the Currier & Ives, she hustled to the front from post one and jogged home in 1:56.1, five and a quarter lengths better than the first-over Passing Jetta. Westfiftyfirst completed the ticket.
Brittany Farms owns the homebred daughter of Cantab Hall-Queen of Grace, who lifted her lifetime bankroll to $294,910.
Broadway Socks released Simply Sassy to the lead, pulled the pocket near the three-quarters and rolled home in 1:56 for Dan Rawlings. Global Magic chased the winner home for second, three lengths in arrears, with the rallying Glisten Hanover third.
“I knew that Simply Sassy would be coming,” Rawlings said. “I wasn’t planning to park her because I didn’t want a speed duel, but I wasn’t going to let her have the front easily. My filly is real sharp right now and I expect her to get better as the year goes on. She’s actually better following a helmet, but it’s hard not to use her greatest asset, which is stepping out of the gate.”
David Wade conditions Broadway Socks, a daughter of Broadway Hall-I Gotta Feelin who now boasts $126,676 in career earnings, and owns with Gerald Brittingham and William F. Peel III.
In the $22,500 Filly & Mare Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap, Cowgirl Hall equalled the fastest mile ever trotted at The Meadows by a filly or mare when she powered to a front-end victory in 1:52.4, matching the record of Daylon Miracle. The pocket-sitting Vixy was second, five and three-quarter lengths back, while ER Ellie earned show.
Dave Palone piloted the five-year-old daughter of Cash Hall-Centerfold Hall, who boosted her career bankroll to $532,303, for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Jack Piatt III and Michael Rosenthal.
Palone drove four winners and Brian Zendt three on the 14-race card. Zendt’s haul gave him eight victories over the last two programs.
(With files from The Meadows)