Celebrity Eventsy worked hard to seat her early challengers, then coasted home to capture Saturday’s $147,500 Moni Maker for three-year-old filly trotters at The Meadows.
Celebrity Eventsy left from the rail and could have settled for a two- or three-hole trip. But winning driver John Campbell wanted the front and hustled Celebrity Eventsy to the lead before throwing on the brakes.
“I wanted to be on the front if I could get there within reason,” Campbell said.
With the field lined up behind him and no one eager to pull, Campbell was able to give the daughter of Manofmanymissions-Little Ms Queenie an internal half of :58, a breather that assured Celebrity Eventsy would have plenty left for the stretch. She did, scoring in 1:54.1, one and a half lengths better than Zweig winner Flowers N Songs, who endured a tough trip from post eight. Southwind Pearl rallied for show.
“Once I got everybody seated, she got a middle half that was uncontested,” Campbell said. “As long as no one was coming, I wasn’t going to step on the gas until they did. She responded really well. I think she’ll have a good rest of the year.”
Staffan Lind trains Celebrity Eventsy, who vaulted over $400,000 in career earnings, for Celebrity Farms.
Celebrity Eventsy entered the Moni Maker off a respectable third-place finish to All The Time in the Hambletonian Oaks. Now, with All The Time sidelined after emergency surgery, Celebrity Eventsy may loom even larger in the battle for divisional honours.
“There are really nice fillies in her division,” Campbell said, "but I think she’s in the top three. She beat All The Time and Broadway Donna in the elimination for the Oaks, so she’s right there with those fillies.”
Jimmy Takter, All The Time’s trainer, reported Saturday that the filly came through her surgery well and, if her recuperation has no complications, could begin jogging in four months.
Saturday’s card also featured two stakes for sophomore colt and gelding pacers — a $160,760 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes known as the Tarport Effrat and an $80,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series event.
In the Tarport Effrat, Manhattan Beach saved ground until the three-quarters, then unleashed a wicked first-over brush to triumph in 1:49.2 -- fastest this year by a three-year-old gelding on a five-eighths-mile track. Another Daily Copy was second, two and a half lengths back, while early leader Western Fame completed the ticket.
“He’s getting better and better,” noted winning driver Matt Kakaley. “He raced awesome [in the Cane Pace] on Hambo Day. He was second from last in a 12-horse field and finished second. He probably raced better than anything in that race that day, and today he followed up with another good one. He’s sharp.”
Ron Burke trains Manhattan Beach, a son of Somebeachsomewhere-Benear who now boasts a lifetime bankroll of $350,412, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Geoffrey Lyons Mound and Wingfield Brothers.
Check Six took the other division on the front end in 1:51.4 for Gingras, Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, William Switala and James Martin. That provided Burke a PASS training sweep, and when Fernando Hanover and Big Top Hanover chased their stablemate home, it gave Burke a 1-2-3 finish in the Check Six leg.
Although Check Six soared over $700,000 in career earnings, the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Southwind Vanna is still seeking that signature victory that would elevate him to the hunt for divisional honours.
“He’s raced against some good colts, and he’s got some good results,” Gingras said. “He hasn’t been able to get to the winner’s circle, but he’s a really good horse. I really like him.”
The Meadows will host the PASS championships for three-year-olds, each worth $250,000, on Saturday, Sept. 10.
Spider Man Hanover seemed to have lost his super powers — he dropped all seven of his previous 2016 starts after earning $221,355 at two. But he looked like the old Spidey on Saturday when he spun off a win in a Pennsylvania Stallion Series stakes record 1:50.3.
Also taking $20,000 splits were JJ Flynn, Western Dynasty and Power Of A Cruiser. Tim Tetrick (Western Dynasty, Power Of A Cruiser) and Gingras (Spider Man Hanover, JJ Flynn) swept the event while trainer Chris Ryder (JJ Flynn, Western Dynasty) also enjoyed a stakes double.
Following Spider Man Hanover’s last outing, owners Country Club Acres, Kenneth Vaupel, Mike Mallett and Milton Leeman transferred him to the Burke stable. The son of Western Ideal-Stolly Up Bluechip responded well to his new surroundings, knocking a tick from the previous stake mark established by Shock It To Em. Safensound Hanover was second, two lengths in arrears, with Nimble And Quick a rallying third.
“He hasn’t seen the front for a little bit,” Gingras said, “so I figured I’d put him there and let him see what he could do. He was a little tired finishing, a little grabby.”
Western Dynasty powered to the front at the quarter and held off Urban Renewal by half a length in 1:53.2, with Shoreview third.
“I thought he would be a contender in the Sires Stakes when I first drove him,” Tetrick said. “He’s just turned into a ‘B’ horse now. But he’s big and strong and good enough to beat this group.”
Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo and Ryder campaign Western Dynasty, a Western Ideal-Caitlin Q gelding.
JJ Flynn blazed to the lead in a blistering :26.3 before getting some valuable cover. He proved the freshest late, prevailing in 1:51.3 — matching his lifetime mark — for owners Joseph Barbera and Vincent Barbera. Owen Hanover and Sapient Hanover completed the ticket.
“He had the outside at Yonkers the last few weeks, and I wanted to be near the front,” Gingras said. “I thought he fit the race really good. Earlier this year, he showed more speed than the other horses in the race. I wanted him in contention, and [the fast opening quarter] was the price we had to pay. But I wasn’t worried.”
Live racing at The Meadows resumes Monday, when the card features a $60,000 PA Stallion Series stake for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters. First post is 1 p.m.
(The Meadows)