Fine Tuned Lady zipped to the front at the quarter and blew away the field, scoring in a stakes-record 1:55.1 in Tuesday’s Pennsylvania Sire Stake at The Meadows. The mile is the fastest this year by a freshman filly trotter on a five-eighths-mile track.
The $195,560 event, known as the Meadow Gladys, was contested over five divisions, with Dangle Then Deke, Broadway Idole, Thats All Moni and Sianna Hanover taking the other splits. Yannick Gingras enjoyed a stake double behind Thats All Moni and Sianna Hanover.
Fine Tuned Lady was away second before Corey Callahan moved her to the point. She widened her lead from there, defeating the rallying Treviso by 7-1/2 lengths, with Stars Edge third. The time lowered the stake mark of Lifetime Pursuit by a tick.
Asked to list her strengths, Tyler Butenschoen, assistant to winning trainer John Butenschoen, could only beam.
“Her strengths? Everything,” he said of the daughter of Cantab Hall-Poster Princess, who’s campaigned by William Wiswell and M&L of Delaware. “She’s great to drive. You just feel like you’re floating out there. If you don’t have a watch, you don’t know how fast you’re going.”
James Bafia, a Chicago Blackhawks fan who owns Dangle And Deke, named her for hockey maneuvers that involve deception. Yet there was nothing tricky about the win of Dangle Then Deke. She powered to the front at the quarter for Tim Tetrick, prevailing in 1:57.3 and remaining undefeated after two starts. Nicole Matters was second, 1/2 length back, while Tanya’s Dance earned show.
“She’s taken a liking to the five-eighths, and she likes to race,” said Dirk Simpson, who conditions the daughter of Cantab Hall-Love My Muscles, a $28,000 yearling acquisition. “She’s a nice, honest filly.”
When Sianna Hanover was parked through the opening panel, Gingras passed up an opportunity for a seat.
“Had there been nobody outside me, I might have (taken a seat),” he said. “But there were already horses making moves from the back, so I didn’t want to do it at that point. She doesn’t mind that kind of trip. She’s a top-class filly.”
It proved the winning decision, as Sianna Hanover rolled to a 2-3/4-length victory over French Press in 1:57.1. Princess Aurora completed the ticket. Ron Burke trains the daughter of Donato Hanover-Simplicity for Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stables and J&T Silva Stables.
In the $20,000 Filly & Mare Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Trot, 15-1 outsider She Wore Red moved second over for Callahan, trainer John Melsheimer and owner Joyce McClelland to triumph in a career-best 1:54.1, 2-3/4 lengths better than Princess Pablano. Barn Girl was third. The four-year-old daughter of Yankee Glide-Tori Ann extended her lifetime bankroll to $145,575.
Brian Zendt collected three wins on the 14-race card.
(with files from The Meadows)