Captain Cowgirl needed a big race in Friday’s Pennsylvania Sires Stakes at The Meadows to guarantee her spot in the $250,000 championship. She got it and more, drawing off to match the stakes record of 1:51.
The $161,744 event for freshman filly pacers, known as The Meadow Cheer, was contested over two divisions, with St Nevis taking the other split. The Meadows will host all four PASS $250,000 finals for two-year-olds on Friday, Sept. 3.
Captain Cowgirl quarter-poled to the top for Tim Tetrick and simply was much the best from there, defeating Somesweetsomewhere by three lengths, with Hood Party third. Her time matched the stakes record established by Bettors Up in 2016. (Tetrick was also aboard for that one.)
“She’s as good as any two-year-old filly right now,” said Jim King Jr., who trains the daughter of Captaintreacherous-Rideintothesunset for Jo Ann Looney-King and Kenneth Frieder. “That’s a tall order, I know, but she’s a pretty good girl, she’s taken to her work well, and she recovers very well.”
King said Captain Cowgirl, who vaulted over $100,000 in earnings, will take it easy until the PASS final.
“I’ll just pat her on the head and talk nice to her until then,” he said.
St Nevis had done everything this season except win, but regular reinsman Dexter Dunn indicated that not all the blame lies with her.
“You have to forgive that break last start,” Dunn said. “I was pushing her a little bit hard into the first turn. But her last quarters always have been good.”
In the Meadow Cheer, a late burst by the daughter of Always B Miki-St Kitts carried her a nose past Hit Me Up in 1:51.4. JK I Feel Fine completed the ticket. Nifty Norman trains the winner for Patricia Stables, Cool Cat Racing and David McDuffie,
Two-year-old pacing fillies Shipnstrol Hanover, Lyons Serenity and Galleria Hanover each took a $20,000 division of the PA Stallion Series.
Shipnstrol Hanover provided the card’s toteboard pyrotechnics when, after being shuffled to fifth, she blazed home wide to pull off the 25-1 upset in 1:52.4 for David Miller, trainer Norman and owners Pinske Stables, David Hoese, Lawrence Mears and Bridgette Jablonsky.
“I raced her last week, never moved her, just kind of went up the rail, and she was loaded,” Miller said of the daughter of Captaintreacherous-Social Scene. “So she didn’t surprise me. Her last line is kind of deceiving. The last few starts she’s put it together.
Live racing at The Meadows resumes Wednesday when the program features a $35,000 guarantee on the final-race Super Hi-5 offered in association with the USTA Strategic Wagering Initiative. Wednesday’s card also offers a $5,000 guarantee on the Early Pick 4 (Race 2) and an $815.77 carryover in the Pick 5 (Race 8). First post is 12:45 p.m.
(With files from MSOA)