Dismissed at 24-1, Ally Gal Ridge powered through the lane to equal the stake record of 1:54.3 in a $254,232 Pennsylvania Sires Stake for three-year-old filly trotters
Wednesday at The Meadows.
The event, known as the Meadow Bright, was conducted over three divisions, with Bone A Fide and Merger Blue Chip capturing the other splits. Ron Burke enjoyed a stake training double with Ally-Gal Ridge and Bona Fide.
The card also featured a $40,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series stake for freshman trotting fillies, with honors going to two first-time starters — Easy Agenda and Lady Taggetha.
Ally Gal Ridge’s 2010 campaign has featured a lighter stake schedule than Burke envisioned, but her impressive late brush in the Meadow Bright may change that.
“Now that she’s getting better, she may see a little more of the Grand Circuit,” Burke said. “She has some Grand Circuit stakes, but she’s been missing them. I didn’t think she was ready for them. She’s always had talent, but she may not be quite as strong as some of the other fillies.”
In the Meadow Bright, Eric Ledford saved ground until the stretch, when he worked Ally Gal Ridge off the pylons for a clear shot outside. The daughter of Tom Ridge-Armbro Waikiki responded by defeating Perfect Chance by a length, with Cantab It All third.
The time not only equaled the stake record established last year by Broadway Schooner, but it also is the fastest mile this year by a three-year-old filly trotter on a five-eighths-mile track. Fulton Nine Partners owns Ally Gal Ridge.
A top performer in her division last year, Bone A Fide lost her first five 2010 starts before snapping her slump from well off the trot in the Meadow Bright. She scored in 1:55.3, 1-3/4 lengths better than Blushing Hanover, with Christiana Hanover third.
“She came back this year with a confidence issue about getting through the turns,” said winning driver Dave Palone. “I think Ronnie did the right thing, taking her to the Meadowlands and the big, swooping turns. She was a different-gaited horse tonight. In fact, I actually made up ground in the last turn.”
Burke Racing Stable, Sam Pullano, Larry Karr and Phillip Collura own Bona Fide, a daughter of SJs Photo-On The Bones.
Given a perfect pocket trip by Greg Grismore, Merger Blue Chip roared off the pylons in the lane to triumph in 1:57 and maintain her unblemished on-the-board record — eight career starts, eight in-the-money finishes. Bunny Tech was second, three lengths in arrears, while early leader Easy Dream saved show.
“She’s very game,” said Bjorn Noren, who trains the daughter of Cantab Hall-Caviar Please for Lars-Goran Jonsson. “She gives you 110 percent and never puts in a bad race. Even when she gets tired, she keeps on trying. She has a Pennsylvania Sires Stake next, then we’ll try for the Hambletonian Oaks.”
$40,000 PA Stallion Series — Two-Year-Old Filly Trotters
The event drew 13 youngsters, all facing the starter for the first time in a pari-mutuel event. But much of the attention was focused on Easy Agenda, a daughter of Cantab Hall out of Flirtin Miss, the 2004 Breeders Cup Champion at two. Easy Agenda began to live up to that royal pedigree, as she scored wire to wire in 2:02.4. Avista Hanover was 1-3/4 lengths back in second, with Leelee Hall third.
“She’s built a little different than her mom; she’ll probably end up bigger,” said winning driver Marcus Johansson. “She acted very professional today. She’s a little green still and got a little lonely at the end. I had to keep her focused on business.”
Jimmy Takter trains Easy Agenda for Brittany Farms.
Lady Taggetha, a 14-1 long shot, also registered a facile front-end victory for trainer/driver Marty Wollam in 2:02, 1-1/4 lengths ahead of It’s Over Hanover, with Cant Miss third.
“I’ve kind of protected her, so I had no intention of leaving,” Wollam said. “But nobody was up in there rolling, and she wanted to leave, so I left with her. We may step her up to the sires stakes, but my choice would be to leave her in the Stallion Series, maybe some fairs.”
Charles Zaune, Dale Sweet, Kathleen Cook and Patricia Wollam own Lady Taggetha, a daughter of Tagliabue-Guvs Lady.
Brett Miller drove five winners on the 15-race card, including a victory in the $25,000 Preferred Pace with Valentowner.
(The Meadows)