First-time starter Dreamonhigh confidently quarter pole-moved to the top and scored in a stakes-fastest 1:56.2 in Friday’s $164,568 Pennsylvania Sires Stake at The Meadows. Vogue and Mimi Ocean Hanover captured the other two divisions in the event for freshman filly trotters.
Dreamonhigh sent mixed signals from her two qualifiers at Gaitway Farm, breaking stride in the first, trotting cleanly in the second. The difference? Joe Bongiorno, who piloted the daughter of Andover Hall-RC’s Dream for trainer Jennifer Bongiorno and owner Amos Lengacher, attributes the improvement to the addition of hopples.
“She has a pretty good head on her shoulders, and we’ve really been careful making sure she doesn’t get hot,” he said. “The hopples absolutely have made a difference. They’re on loose, but just that little bit of extra support seems to have made a big difference. She felt really safe today, and I think she has a bright future.”
Dreamonhigh drew off late to defeat A Perfect Helen by 3-1/4 lengths, with Ebbies Lady third. Her time was especially impressive, as she had to race through the slop while the other splits were contested over a fast surface.
Vogue also jumped it off in one of her two qualifiers, but winning trainer Per Engblom did not add hopples.
“She’s a nice filly, very slick gaited,” Engblom said of his $60,000 yearling acquisition. “I was a little worried when she got behind horses because she can shake her head a little bit, but she behaved great. She’s eligible in Kentucky and Pennsylvania, so she’ll have plenty of opportunities.”
The daughter of Father Patrick-Swan And Only quarter-poled to the point for David Miller and held off the late charge of Baptism to edge her by a head in 1:58. Behindblueyes completed the ticket. Engblom Stable, Wieserman Farms and Joyce McClelland campaign the winner.
Owner Ralph Curry and trainer Anne Stoebe were attracted to Mimi Ocean Hanover as a yearling in part because Mimi is the name of Curry’s wife, so attracted that they dug deep and gave $125,000 for her. They have thousands more reasons to like her now, as she launched a determined uncovered move from fifth to triumph at first asking in 1:57 for Dave Palone. Early leader Pink Gypsy, a full sister to last year’s champion sophomore male trotter Amigo Volo, finished second, beaten 1-3/4 lengths, while Manon earned show.
“She trained down like that, and I always believed she was that quality of horse,” Stoebe said. “She validated that for me today.” Stoebe said the filly will be pointed to the PA All Stars and the James Daugherty Memorial.
Whiskey Girl, Gumdrop Hanover and Gingerzzz each took a division in Saturday’s sub-feature. Winning driver Tim Tetrick said he knew Whiskey Girl would perform well when, while she was scoring down, a deer suddenly crossed her path.
“She just looked at it and seemed to say, ‘no big deal,’ and went about her business,” Tetrick said. “She’s professional and knows her job. She feels like she’s 8 years old. She sure doesn’t act like a baby.”
The daughter of Bar Hopping-Phabaj Hanover won as she pleased, defeating Miss Principle by 3-3/4 lengths. Divine Kronos S rounded out the ticket. Whiskey Girl races for trainer Jim King, Jr. and owner Jo Ann Looney-King.
Live racing at The Meadows continues Saturday when the 13-race card features a pair of stakes for freshman pacing colts and geldings: a $165,257 PA Sires Stake and a $60,000 PA Stallion Series event. The program also offers two carryovers: $5,191.27 in the final-race Super Hi-5, $1,180.99 in the Pick 5. First post is 12:45 p.m.
(Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)