Ballare Hanover garnered her first career stake victory by following cover and brushing through the slop late to score in 1:58.1, fastest division in Monday’s $60,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series stake at The Meadows.
The event for three-year-old filly trotters was contested over three divisions, with Mariah De Vie and Silent Opera K taking the other splits.
Tony Hall enjoyed a stakes double behind Ballare Hanover and Silent Opera K among his five wins on the 16-race card.
Although Ballare Hanover had won four of 11 previous starts, she had come up short in stakes. That ended Monday when she used the first-over cover of Czech It Out to get into striking position, then erased a two-length deficit in the lane to overtake the leader, Steppin Out, and down her by a neck. Donatos Dream was third.
“If you can get her through the first quarter, she’s pretty versatile; she can take the air,” Hall said. “Adios Day, I got her to the gate a step too quick, and she ran, so I really had to feed her in. She started to shorten up late — I was worried halfway down the stretch — but it all worked out.”
Marcus Marashian trains Ballare Hanover, a daughter of Broadway Hall-Box Of Dreams, and owns with Michelle Amric, and Lou DiPaolo.
Mariah De Vie’s cover wasn’t quite so accommodating. She and Dave Palone were following Nitro Nittany when the 1-5 favourite tired suddenly into the final turn, forcing Mariah De Vie wide prematurely.
“I thought, ‘I can’t screw up this game plan — just follow Nitro Nittany because she looks to be the best,’” Palone said. “I loved the game plan at the quarter, I loved it at the half. When my cover stalled, I didn’t know if my filly could handle it. But she gave me a good fight, and I was happy with her.”
The daughter of Cantab Hall-Nordicdish persevered and prevailed in 1:58.4 for trainer Henrik Lundell and owner Joie De Vie farm. The pocket-sitting Westfiftyfirst was second, while Passing Jetta earned show.
Silent Opera K wore down Outsourced Hanover in a stretch-long duel and edged her rival by a nose in 1:58.2. Super Swifty rallied for show.
“We were racing her in bigger races, and she needed a little class relief,” said Rich Gillock, who conditions the homebred daughter of Broadway Hall-American Frost for Bob Key. “Fortunately today, the mile was to her liking, and everything worked out. We’ll try to pick some spots and do some good with her.”
Dan Rawlings and Palone each fashioned a three-bagger on the program.
Tuesday’s card features a $199,994 Pennsylvania Sires Stake for three-year-old filly trotters headlined by the stablemates Lifetime Pursuit, upset winner of the Hambletonian Oaks, and Shake It Cerry, last year’s Dan Patch Award winner who has banked more than $1 million in her career. First post is 12:55 p.m.
(The Meadows)