Seemingly racing for a minor cheque when his first over bid failed, Pekoe Fashion found himself the improbable winner of a Pennsylvania Sires Stake division Wednesday at The Meadows when all three of the horses in front of him got into late trouble
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The $224,634 event for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters, known as the Florida Pro, was conducted over three divisions, with Go Tapaigh and Stormin Normand taking the other splits. Trainer Jim Campbell and Fashion Farms enjoyed a stake double with Pekoe Fashion and Stormin Normand.
Pekoe Fashion challenged the leader, Lad Pine, down the backside but dropped back when he couldn’t clear. As the field turned for home, however, a bizarre sequence of events prompted the wild finish.
The pocket-sitting Beer Summit was about to pounce on the leader when he went wide and lost significant ground. Meanwhile, on the lead, Lad Pine broke stride and galloped into the Lightning Lane. Money On My Mind, who recovered from an early break and was gaining inside with the most trot, was blocked in the Lightning Lane and had to change course to find a seam. That left a path to victory for Pekoe Fashion and Eric Ledford who, to their credit, persevered and notched the win in 1:56.4. The unlucky Money On My Mind was second, a neck back, while Beer Summit got back in gear for third.
“I guess that’s what you call getting a little lucky,” Campbell said, “but we’ll take it any way we can get it. At the top of the lane, I was just hoping to be third. Some nights it goes your way and some nights it doesn’t.”
The son of Broadway Hall-Orange Pekoe is undefeated in three lifetime starts.
Go Tapaigh also stretched his career unbeaten streak to three with his nose victory over Mr Ridgetaker for Chip Noble in 1:58.3. Overandovervictory completed the ticket.
“The fractions were a little softer than I wanted, but I think they really trotted the last eighth big,” said winning trainer Danny Collins. “We haven’t chased him hard yet. We’re just teaching him to race. He loves to pass horses, and if he’s close, he usually finishes strong.”
Wayne Zollars owns Go Tapaigh, a son of Andover Hall-Armbro Gaelic.
Stormin Normand performed like the 1-5 favourite he was, pulling the pocket down the backside for Dave Palone and handily downing early leader Keystone Silencer by seven lengths in 1:57.3. Catalyst was third.
“He’s one of the nicest two-year-olds you’d ever want to drive. He drives like a veteran,” Palone said of the son of Broadway Hall-Idole Normand. “I never hit the gas with him. It’s nice that he’s two months into his racing career and no one’s found the bottom yet.”
(The Meadows)