Brazuca powered to the lead near the three-eighths and rolled to victory in 1:52.2, shattering the stake record in Monday’s Pennsylvania Stallion Series event at The Meadows.
The stake for two-year-old filly pacers was contested over four divisions, with Queen To Me, Freakonomics and Pink Gardenias taking the other $20,000 splits. Dave Palone enjoyed a stake double, among his six wins on the 14-race card, behind Brazuca and Pink Gardenias.
Even after Brazuca’s decisive brush, she wasn’t home free, as she had to fend off the menacing uncovered bid of Rockette. The daughter of Bettors Delight-Knock Three Times held off the challenger by half a length, while Bridge To Tomorrow rallied for show. The time erased the previous stake mark of 1:53.4 held jointly by Tipton Teeez and Valuable Art.
Trainer Tom Cancelliere indicated he expected a great deal from Brazuca, a $75,000 yearling acquisition for John Cancelliere, but not in her fifth career start.
“I’m surprised,” he said. “I love this filly, but we started her slow, and I thought she would need a little bit more time. She’s got all kinds of stakes, but we’ll see where she wants to go. If she wants to keep going, we’ll keep going with her.”
Dismissed at 10-1, Queen To Me was fourth along the pylons as the field turned for home, with no racing room in sight. But when Sweetest Emotion pulled the pocket and promptly broke stride for Mike Wilder, that left the Lightning Lane for Queen To Me. The daughter of Bettors Delight-Arterra poured through and pulled off the upset in a maiden-breaking 1:53, a neck better than the pace-setting Emily R Hanover. Gemmas Beach Girl earned show.
“They went big fractions, and I know the horse on the front is a nice horse but can get a little wobbly late,” said Joe Bongiorno, who piloted Queen To Me for trainer Tony Alagna and owner Willow Oak Ranch. “Once Mike ran and Palone had to check his horse, I knew it would be me and Emily R down by the wire. My filly felt good, and she finished good.”
In her two career victories, Freakonomics never was ahead until the final call. Winning driver Jim Pantaleano said that’s the style trainer Ross Croghan prefers for her.
“When I saw the fractions come up, I thought they would come back a little,” Pantaleano said. “But I was mostly paying attention to my filly. That’s the way Ross wanted her raced. Clearly he’s a top conditioner who knows his horses. He knows this filly.”
Last entering the final turn, Freakonomics followed long shot Traceuse Hanover through the stretch and nailed her by a nose in 1:55, with Beautiful Hill third. Let It Ride Stables and Dana Parham campaign Freakonomics, a daughter of Western Terror-Mind Boggling.
In the $20,000 Filly & Mare Not Listed Preferred/Preferred Handicap Pace, Skippin By used two moves — one for position from post 8, one to overpower the leader, Medusa — to triumph in a sharp 1:50.2 for Palone, trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Wall Brothers Stable and Bruce Soulsby. Certified Ideal was a length back in second with Spreester third.
The five-year-old daughter of Shadow Play-Southern Magnolia extended her career bankroll to $629,479.
Tuesday’s card at The Meadows features the Meadow Cheer, a $183,616 PA Sires Stake for freshman filly pacers. First post is 1 p.m.
(The Meadows)