Leaving her Illinois base for the first time, Podges Lady indicated that she may become a frequent traveler as she blazed to a track-record 1:52.1 victory in a division of Saturday’s $249,410 Pennsylvania Sires Stake at The Meadows
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The event for two-year-old filly pacers, known as the Sand Tart, was conducted over five divisions, with Early Go Hanover, Hallie Gallie, Campanile and Moonlit Dragon taking the other splits.
Podges Lady, who won her first two career starts at Balmoral Park by a combined six and a quarter lengths, looked just as dominant in the Sand Tart, prevailing for Eric Ledford by a comfortable two and three-quarter lengths over Robin Cruiser, with Frontierpan third. Her time erased the previous track record of 1:52.2 set earlier this year by Strike An Attitude and put her trainer in mind of another top young lass he conditioned.
“She hasn’t let me down; she’s just like Kikikatie in that regard,” Joe Seekman said. “Big shoes to fill, but she might be able to it. We’ll send her out to the Meadowlands for the Countess Adios and the Sweetheart and try to make the finals here in Pennsylvania.”
Sawgrass Farms owns Podges Lady, a daughter of The Panderosa-Four Starzzzz Hope.
Early Go Hanover needed a strong stretch drive to down the game Red Shadow, a full-sister to millioniare Shadow Play, by a neck in 1:53.3 for Brett Miller. So Wanted completed the ticket.
“Right from the get-go she felt like a really nice filly,” Miller said. “When I moved her, she did everything right. When I called on her in the stretch, she really responded.”
Adam Rucker trains Early Go Hanover, a daughter of Dragon Again-Endela Hanover who won for the second time in three lifetime starts, for Omar Belier and Dennis Coons.
Hallie Gallie won a Tompkins-Geers split off the pace, but in the Sand Tart, she dueled for the early lead, got it and never looked back. She scored in 1:54 for Dave Palone, a half-length better than So Easy Baby, with Sectionline Yankee a rallying third.
“She’s very versatile,” said Jim Campbell, who trains the daughter of Village Jolt-Galleria for Fashion Farms. “She’s very laid back, and I couldn’t ask for her to be any better-mannered than what she is. There’s no wasted action in her gait. How far she can take it I don’t know, but I sure like what she’s shown us so far.”
Grand Circuit Week continues Monday at The Meadows when the card features a $120,000 Arden Downs Trot for two-year-old filly trotters and a $5,000-guaranteed pool for the Pick 4 spanning races 12-15. First post is 12:55 p.m.
(With files from The Meadows)