When the field turned for home in a division of Friday’s $240,172 Pennsylvania Sires Stake for three-year-old trotting fillies at The Meadows, Classic Martine had only one horse left to beat — her stablemate, Frau Blucher. She deferred friendship for a few seconds and blew by to score in 1:53.2, a stake record.
The event, known as the Meadow Bright, was contested over two divisions, with Coffeecake Hanover taking the other split. Brett Miller rolled up wins in stakes as well as overnights, collecting seven on the 17-race card.
Frau Blucher holds The Meadows track record for two-year-old fillies, but Classic Martine showed little respect for that, stalking her stablemate until brushing in the stretch to defeat her by half a length, with Mistery Woman third. All three top finishers nailed down spots in the $260,000 PASS championship set for Sept. 13 at The Meadows. The time knocked two ticks from the Meadow Bright mark established by the great Check Me Out.
“This horse is racing very well,” said winning driver Tim Tetrick. “She’s brave, and I got the perfect pocket trip and had enough go to get by.”
Chris Oakes trains Classic Martine, a daughter of Classic Photo and Drinking Days, for Hauser Brothers Racing, Susan Oakes, Conrad Zurich and Edwin Gold.
Coffeecake Hanover was on the championship bubble, sitting eighth in PASS points entering the Meadow Bright. But she secured her final spot with a backside power move for Dave Palone that carried her to victory in 1:55. Royal Assets closed well for second, one and three-quarter lengths back, while Thistle Dhu earned show.
“Her best quality is she just lets you do whatever you want with her,” Palone said. “I think she had a hometown advantage — she gets over this track well. I think we timed the move just right tonight.”
Ron Burke conditions the daughter of Cantab Hall and CRCalendar Girl for his Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Keith Pippi and Michelle Yanek.
$260,935 PASS - Two-Year-Old Filly Pacers
In the companion feature on Friday’s card, a division was taken by a horse without a single point in PASS standings. That feat was accomplished by Weeper, at a lush 15-1, who set track and stake records by scoring in 1:51.4. Beach Body and Tyra also took splits in the event known as the Meadow Cheer.
Weeper had been performing in PA Stallion Series events, but she looked like an elite pacer Friday, rallying from worst to first for Corey Callahan to overwhelm Also Encouraging by four lengths. Rustys Bliss completed the ticket.
“She’s always had a lot of ability, but she made a couple breaks,” said Kelly O’Donnell, who trains the daughter of Allamerican Native and Pleasant Yet Bad for Bay Pond Racing. “So we tinkered around with that. Looks like we got that cured. She’s not eligible to anything other than this, so we thought we better take a shot at one leg. She is in the final of the Stallion Series.”
Beach Body turned back a veritable wave of challengers to score on the front end in 1:53.3. Southwind Silence was second, one and a quarter lengths in arrears, with Xtra Desire third.
“She was very good for awhile, then she got sick and we didn’t know it,” said winning driver Ron Pierce. “They got her tuned up for tonight, and she raced extremely well.”
Oakes trains the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere and Silky for Purple Haze Stables and Conrad Zurich.
Tyra locked up her spot in the championship with a facile front-end victory for Tetrick in 1:52.4, three and a half lengths ahead of Mayabelle. Bet On Me Hanover was third.
“She takes her work seriously, and it really comes easy to her,” said winning trainer Jim King Jr. “She’s the best filly I’ve ever been around. She doesn’t have any races between now and the final. But she’s a good trainer and an easy keeper, so she’ll take care of herself.”
CC Racing owns the daughter of McArdle and Pernilla, a $10,000 yearling acquisition.
$60,000 PA Stallion Series - Three-Year-Old Filly Trotters
Miller swept the three splits by piloting Choose Happy, Changed It All and UF Tadys Donato to victory. In keeping with Friday’s theme of stake records, Choose Happy got hers by scoring on the front end in 1:54.3. Bethel Hanover was three and a quarter lengths back in second, with Photosavvy third.
Virgil Morgan Jr. trains the daughter of Donato Hanover and Tady Strikes Again for Up Front Racing, DM Stables and Miller’s Stable.
“Her mother was a beast; I loved driving her mother,” Miller said. “She’s exactly like her mother. She feels like her, she looks like her. We changed a little bit of her head rigging, and she was awesome tonight.”
Changed It All seized the early lead and never relinquished it, downing Antsy Dancey by three and a half lengths in 1:56.4. Nicoe Ridge was third.
“She’s much better when a horse gets right up next to her,” Miller said. “She likes to race a horse. When she’s on the front, she only goes as much as you make her. I got lucky getting soft fractions.”
Michael Hall conditions the daughter of Yankee Glide and Rhine River for Claim To Fame LLC and Janet Ho.
(The Meadows)