Somewhere In L A worked out a comfortable pocket trip, then blew by in the lane to score in a stakes-record 1:52.2 in Monday’s $80,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series event at The Meadows.
The stake for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers was contested over four divisions, with Here Comes William, So Surreal and Leyden also taking $20,000 splits. Dave Palone enjoyed a stakes double with Somewhere In L A and Here Comes William.
Somewhere In L A sat second behind Stevensville, who entered the stake with strong credentials that included a Sheppard elimination victory. But Somewhere In L A was the stronger horse late, defeating Stevensville by a neck, with Good Citations well back in third.
Bob McIntosh trains the homebred Somebeachsomewhere-West Of L A gelding, who won his second straight in the stallion series, for Robert McIntosh Stables Inc, C S X Stables and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc.
“My horse felt good in the rigging,” Palone said. “Usually everything Bob sends down here is right on his toes. This horse has a tremendous upside. Bob’s horses usually start coming into their own about right now. He plans it that way.”
A pocket trip was the M.O. for Here Comes William, as well, as he outkicked the leader, A OK Hanover, to down him by in 1:52.3, with the first-over Stanhope third. The time matched the stake record that Somewhere In LA would lower moments later.
“He has a nice little kick to him,” Palone said. “I didn’t ask on him until the head of the stretch, and he was loaded. I thought it was a two-horse race and that my colt would be a little stronger finishing, which he was.”
Robert Barnard conditions Here Comes William, a son of Dragon Again-Miracles Delight who captured his third consecutive stallion series split, for Marie DuPont.
So Surreal may not have recorded the fastest win in the stake, but he was the most visually impressive in only his second career outing, moving uncovered from fifth for Tim Tetrick and rolling to a 7-1/2-length cakewalk over the 45-1 Finley Hanover. Ivan Bob earned show. So Surreal is eligible for the Metro Pace at Mohawk, and Tetrick predicts he’ll be a force there.
“He might be the Metro winner,” Tetrick said. “He’s just using this as a stepping stone. He has tons of ability and a lot of high speed. I think he’ll follow whoever he has to follow, and when you ask him, he’ll blow by horses.”
Ray Schnittker trains the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Must See, a half-brother to the budding stallion Well Said, and owns with Ted Gewertz, Jonathan Kurnit and Steven Arnold.
In the $20,000 Preferred Handicap Trot, Unefoisdansmavie, the only mare in the field, proved once again she’s not intimidated racing against males by scoring in 1:54 for Palone, trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Jack Piatt III. Bettis rallied for second while Redder Than Red completed the ticket. The six-year-old daughter of Revenue S-Peace To The World extended her career bankroll to $313,357.
Elsewhere on the 16-race card, trainer Sal Digati and owner Dina Digati teamed for a natural hat trick, winning Races 5-7 with Cradabra, Ive Got A Bono and Shootout Volo.
Stake racing at The Meadows continues Tuesday with the Tyler B, a $265,408 PA Sires Stake for freshman colt and gelding pacers. First post is 12:55 p.m.
(The Meadows)