Ray Schnittker's trotting filly Check Me Out set a world record at The Meadowlands on Saturday night, and on Tuesday another trotting filly from the Schnittker barn etched her name in the record books.
Royal Assets powered to the front and brooked no serious challengers en route to victory in a stake-record 1:57.3 in a division of Tuesday’s $100,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series event at The Meadows. The stake for two-year-old filly trotters was conducted over five divisions, with Nicoe Ridge, Changed It All, Tattoo You and Won Ton Hanover taking the other $20,000 splits.
Royal Assets entered Tuesday’s stake off an impressive performance in the Pennsylvania All Stars at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, beaten a neck in 1:55.1. Due to the complexities of his travel schedule, trainer/driver Ray Schnittker decided to drop her in this leg of the stallion series rather than Wednesday’s Pennsylvania Sires Stake at The Meadows.
“She’s a big, heavy horse, and she’s still going great miles,” said Schnittker, who owns the $45,000 yearling purchase with Royal Assets Stable. “When she gets her strength, she’ll really be ready to go. I knew I had a good filly from Day 1.”
She was much the best Tuesday, defeating Global Beauty by three lengths, with Easter Leggs third. The time shattered the previous stake mark of 2:00 set by Pearly Princess in 2009. Schnittker indicated the daughter of Donato Hanover-Habits Lady will get a chance to prove her mettle against elite competition in the Merrie Annabelle.
Charlie Norris, who piloted Nicoe Ridge in her fifth-place finish in the PA All Stars, allowed that the tough competition and his filly’s 87-1 odds that day may have made him too conservative.
“They were going pretty good at Pocono, and I kind of underestimated her,” Norris said. “I could have been a little closer. When I pulled her out, she really trotted home well.”
More confident with his filly Tuesday, Norris and Nicoe Ridge gunned to the lead, gratefully accepted a pocket trip behind Casting Couch and outkicked that rival in the Lightning Lane to down her by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:59.2. Photosavvy completed the ticket.
Marty Wollam trains Nicoe Ridge, a daughter of Tom Ridge-Samantha Coe, for Deborah Kvernmo.
Changed It All appeared to have her split well in hand when her inexperience showed around the final turn.
“I was letting her decide where she wanted to go,” said winning driver Brett Miller. “She felt like she wanted to leave. Once she got to the front, she felt comfortable. But I about lost her in the last turn — I think it was all from being green. She got a little steppy.”
Miller settled the daughter of Yankee Glide-Rhine River, and she scored in 2:00.1. Homepage was second, a head back, with Andover Fist third. Michael Hall trains Changed It All for Claim To Fame LLC and Janet Ho.
In the $22,500 Preferred Trot, Sharp Edge continued his sharp edge — the five-year-old son of Jailhouse Jesse-Ten Queens has been first or second in six consecutive starts — with a 3-1/4-length victory in 1:53.2 for Dave Palone, trainer Bruce Riegle and owner Robert Kauffman. Early leader Revenue Agent was second, with Rembrandt Spur up for show. It was one of three wins on the 16-race card for Palone.
Wednesday’s PA Sires Stake, known as the Hickory Pride, features four divisions of freshman filly trotters vying for a total purse of $306,536. First post is 6:55 PM.
(The Meadows)