Canadian-owned Livininthefastlane pounced on the leaders down the backside, then blazed home in a stake-record 1:55.1 in Friday’s $234,584 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes at The Meadows.
The event for freshman filly trotters, known as the Delmonica Hanover, was contested over three divisions, with Wild Honey, another filly with Canadian connections, and Kirsi Hanover taking the other splits.
Livininthefastlane sat a comfortable third as the two favourites dueled for the early lead. Jersey Strong won that early battle, but was no match late for Livininthefastlane, who defeated Speak To Me by a length for John Campbell. Jersey Strong saved show.
“I didn’t want to be a player in that first argument, but I was hoping for honest fractions at least,” Campbell said. “She felt so good down the back stretch that I thought she would give me a good run.”
Julie Miller trains the daughter of Donato Hanover-Nicoles Promise for Ontario owners Marvin Katz of Toronto, Al Libfeld of Pickering and Sam Goldband of Toronto.
The time knocked a tick from the previous stake record shared by Sand Violent Blu and Designed To Be.
Wild Honey completed a sweep of the four PASS preliminary legs with a facile front-end victory in 1:56.1, aided by a measured 1:00.1 first half when no one challenged her.
“She’s the best [two-year-old filly] I’ve sat behind so far this year,” said Dave Palone, who drove for trainer Jimmy Takter and owners Christina Takter of East Rutherford, New Jersey, Toronto brothers John and Jim Fielding, and Herb Liverman of Miami Beach, Florida. “It’s nice when you’re driving that kind of power that gets so much respect.”
Gatka Hanover closed well for second, three-quarters of a length back, while Smokinmombo earned show. A daughter of Cantab Hall-U Wanna Lindy, Wild Honey has won four of five career starts.
Kirsi Hanover had lost all five of her previous career outings and it appeared that she would extend that streak when she had to take back after dueling for the early lead, then challenge first over. But she kept on coming for Matt Kakaley and scored in 1:56.3, three-quarters of a length ahead of Kelseys Keepsake, with Smexi third.
“We always had high hopes for her, but she was sick at the beginning of the year,” Kakaley said. “Tonight she raced as good as we thought she could be. I kind of sat on her until the last turn before I started to drive on her.”
It was a sweet victory for Kakaley, as he owns the Ron Burke trainee, a daughter of Donato Hanover-Kimberidge Hanover, with Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania, Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania and Tracy Hendler of Carteret, New Jersey.
In the $18,000 Preferred Handicap Pace, top three-year-old Somewhere In L A took it to a distinguished field of older horses and geldings by prevailing in a sharp 1:50, one and a half lengths better than Windsong Jack. Visible Gold completed the ticket.
Tim Tetrick drove Somewhere In L A, a Somebeachsomewhere-West Of L A gelding, who extended his career bankroll to $317,136, for Takter and owners J&T Silva Stables, Deo Valente Farms and TLP Stable.
Palone drove four winners and Kakaley three on the 15-race card.
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 12:55 p.m.
(With files from The Meadows)