Allegiant blazed the back half in :55.2 en route to victory in a stakes record 1:52.3 in Friday’s $71,719 Currier & Ives for three-year-old filly trotters at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. The time is the fastest of any winner — regardless of gender — in the 50-year history of the prestigious stakes.
Allegiant took the field through the opening half in :57.1, but when the 4-5 favourites, Pizzelle and Tyler Smith, launched a challenge from third, Allegiant found another gear — with no urging from winning driver Hunter Myers.
“I gave her a few taps down the stretch just to keep her attention, but the whole mile was 100 per cent her,” said Myers. “We finished with her ear plugs still in. She has tons of upward potential.”
The daughter of Tactical Landing-Too Good For You defeated the pocket-sitting Tactical Lori and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. by three lengths, with Pizzelle third.
Allegiant, a Hambletonian Oaks eligible, is heavily staked this season, so her eye-popping performance was a relief to trainer Vernon Beachy after a slow start to her sophomore campaign which saw her lose three straight New Jersey Sire Stakes.
“She had bad luck in Jersey, and the competition was tough,” Beachy said of his $50,000 yearling acquisition. “Last trip, she got locked in. Probably her next start is the Moni Maker at Scioto.”
Allegiant has banked nearly $390,000 lifetime for owner Ryan Smith.
Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and trainer Ron Burke each enjoyed a four-bagger on the 13-race card, giving them nine and eight wins, respectively, over the last two programs.
In other Friday action, Lauren Harmon and Mon Amour moved relentlessly first-over and held on for the narrowest of victories in a $13,699 leg of the Great Lakes Amateur Drivers Association (GLADA) Trot.
Away fourth, Harmon confidently sent Mon Amour after the leaders, Keystone Apache and Tom Svrcek, before the half and finally wore them down in the stretch.
“I knew I didn’t want to get locked in at any point,” said Harmon. “I had him out a little early, but I had the outer flow coming, so I wanted to make sure that I was out and moving.”
But then she had to deal with Jerry Kehm in rein to Rattling Pine, who was charging through the Lightning Lane. Mon Amour edged Rattling Pine by a nose in 1:56.2. Holton, with Steve Oldford, and Keystone Apache rounded out the ticket.
Brandon Presto trains Mon Amour, a six-year-old son of Muscle Hill-Mind Mold who boasts a career bankroll approaching the $400,000 mark.
Saturday’s Belmont Day card at The Meadows begins at the special post time of 11:30 a.m. The program features a $909.29 carryover in the Early Pentafecta (Race 4).
(With files from Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)