The Meadows presented the inaugural Edward M. Ryan Trot on Wednesday as part of Adios Week, and Andy Miller embraced the newly-rechristened event by winning two of its three divisions with Sumatra and Exodus Hanover.
The $60,000 Arden Downs stakes for freshman colt and gelding trotters, formerly known as the Henry Oliver, honours the memory of Ed Ryan, a Hall of Famer who was a successful entrepreneur, a skilled horseman, a philanthropist and an owner of the Meadows during a key period in the track’s development.
Miller scored impressively with Sumatra, the 1-9 favourite who barreled to the lead and cruised home in 1:56.4, two lengths better than Il Sogno Dream. Overwhat rallied for show.
“He doesn’t have any real big stakes this year, but everything we’ve asked of him he’s done,” Miller said. “He keeps maturing, and I think there’s a big upside there.”
Julie Miller trains the son of Muscles Yankee-Lola Seelster for Andy Miller Stable and Black Horse Racing.
Miller also scored an easy front-end win with Exodus Hanover, a Steve Elliott trainee who triumphed in 1:59. Monkey Man was three and a quarter lengths back in second, with Journey third.
“Steve’s really liked him all year,” said Toni Rose, Elliott’s assistant trainer. “He got a little messed up his first race, but other than that, he’s been solid. I think Steve will keep him in PA Sires Stakes. You can get plenty of money there.”
Elliott owns Exodus Hanover with the Angelo Frassetto Estate, Kenneth Klein and Old Block Stables.
Muscle On In, who was winless in his first three outings, notched the final Ryan split in front-end fashion in 1:58.3. Dave Palone drove for trainer Chris Ryder, who owns the son of Muscle Hill-Vikings Goddess with Robert Mondillo and Max Wernick. It was one of six wins on the 15-race card for Palone.
“Having the early lead really wasn’t part of my game plan,” Palone said. “But everywhere I looked, horses were on a break, and I thought I’d get him out of there and let him see how he felt. He felt good and square, so I just let him trot on.”
$63,750 Arden Downs, Two-Year-old Filly Trotters
Broadway Socks was the star of this stakes, known as the Joe McGraw, which was Wednesday’s co-feature. The daughter of Broadway Hall-I Gotta Feelin matched the stakes mark of 1:56.1, established by Maven in 2011. It wasn’t a jiggy-jog, though, as driver Dan Rawlings got after her once she had cleared to the lead.
“With any young horse, you definitely want her to respond when you pull that right line,” Rawlings said. “When you ask her to go, you want her to go, and she seems to do that real well. Everything’s working out real well.”
David Wade trains Broadway Socks and owns with Gerald Brittingham and William F. Peel III.
Miller collected a McGraw victory with Royal Tabs, who spurted to an early lead and had enough to hold off the pocket-sitting Anonyme Hanover by three quarters of a length in 1:57.3.
“She’s pretty manageable, she’s pretty smart, and she doesn’t have any issues right now,” said 'Buzzy' Sholty, who trains the daughter of Cantab Hall-Royal Vic for Claude Gendreau Stable. “I’m just trying to keep her a happy girl.”
Juniata Hanover grabbed the third McGraw split by two-holing A Perfect Gem and Miller and blowing by late to down them by a neck for Palone in 1:58.1. Champagne Dreams raced well, albeit erratically, to complete the ticket.
“I wasn’t sure that I had Andy until maybe just inside the 16th pole,” Palone said. “My filly showed me tonight that she may be even better out of a hole than she is on the lead. She really liked chasing Andy down.”
Ron Burke conditions the daughter of Cantab Hall-Justgotafeeling, now undefeated in four starts, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Michelle Yanek and Keith Pippi.
Grand Circuit action at the Meadows resumes Friday with a pair of Arden Downs stakes for three-year-old trotters. First post is 6:55 p.m.
(Meadows)