Savini grabbed the lead before the quarter and kept right on rolling, as he scored his maiden victory in a stakes-record 1:56.4 in Monday’s Pennsylvania Stallion Series action at the Meadows.
The stakes event for freshman colt and gelding trotters was contested over four divisions. Town Victor, Bargain Bob and Libero Hanover captured the other splits.
Once Savini hit the point for Dave Palone, he encountered no serious challenges in his third career start, downing Will Power Fashion by three lengths, with Drop The Pilot third. The time knocked a tick from the previous stake mark set by Cufflink Hanover in 2015.
“I just let him skip along where he was comfortable, and he was well within himself,” Palone said. “We weren’t shooting for any records, just a good experience. He’s super-intelligent.”
Donna Marshall trains Savini, an Explosive Matter-Ivory Lindy gelding, for Robert McNerney.
A growthy Winning Mister-P Town Girl gelding, Town Victor inherited the point following the leader’s early break and made the most of it, cruising to his second straight victory for Wilbur Yoder in a career-best 1:58. Vulcan Hanover, who made that early miscue but recovered nicely, was second, 1-3/4 lengths back, while Shell Shock earned show.
“He trained down in Florida, and when we got him up here, we just finished him off,” said winning trainer Rich Gillock, who owns the homebred Town Victor with Barbara Richardson. “As the year progresses, with his size, we’ll maybe try the bigger boys later on. For right now, we’re content to do what we’re doing. The Arden Downs is next for him.”
Bargain Bob was coming off a fourth-place finish in a Pennsylvania All-Stars split at Pocono, a performance that persuaded Mike Wilder to send the youngster to the top at the quarter.
“He showed some pretty good lines, and he felt good,” Wilder said. “A couple of horses I thought I might have to beat were behind me, so I thought I’d take my shot. He was professional and never missed a beat.”
The strategy worked beautifully, as Bargain Bob defeated the first-over Matter Of Focus by a length in 1:58.3 for his maiden-breaker. Scirocco Patrick completed the ticket. Homer Hochstetler trains the son of Donato Hanover-Frau Blucher for Connie Hochstetler, Robert Buddig and Allen Schwartz.
Palone collected three wins on the 13-race program.
Live racing at The Meadows continues Tuesday, when the program features an $188,016 PA Sires Stake for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters as well as a $3,137.76 carryover in the final-race Super Hi-5. In addition, post positions for Saturday’s eliminations for the $400,000 (est) Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids will be announced at mid-day. First post Tuesday is 1:05 p.m.
(Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)