Raced conservatively for most of the season, Bombastic was on the muscle Friday at The Meadows as he blazed to the early lead, settled into the pocket and blew by in the Lightning Lane for Tony Hall to produce a 42-1 upset in a division of a $91,000 Keystone Classic
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The stake for three-year-old Pennsylvania-bred colt and gelding pacers was contested over two divisions, with 11-1 long shot Europan Union taking the other split.
Troy McDougal, who trains Bombastic and owns with Howard Alexander, said he had been content to have the colt follow through much of his 2010 stakes program, which included the Delvin Miller Adios and Pennsylvania Sires Stakes.
“We never got him involved in any of his earlier stakes, always took him back, which left him out of it,” McDougal said. “Today I told Tony, ‘Send him out of there no matter what and see what happens.’ We probably cost ourselves a lot of money in all those other stakes by ducking him.”
In the Keystone Classic, Bombastic powered to the front and picked up the cover of Fishers Character before brushing through the Lightning Lane to triumph in a career-best 1:51.4. Four Starz Trace rallied for second, 1-1/4 lengths back, while Fishers Character saved show.
Off that impressive performance, McDougal said he may reconsider his plans to shut down the Western Hanover-Cami Whitestocking gelding, a $36,000 yearling acquisition who was unraced at two.
“He’s eligible for the Cleveland Classic at Northfield in December,” McDougal said. “We’ll probably shoot for that. He’s shown us that he has good gate speed and can get involved.”
An alert move before the half by Greg Grismore and Europan Union put them in a favourable second-over position behind Sand Savage and Hall. Once Europan Union shed that cover, he gunned down 1-5 favourite Versado by a neck, prevailing in 1:51.1, a lifetime mark. Morgan Shark closed well for third.
“Tony’s colt was getting rammy out of the turn, and he had to get the colt outside,” Grismore said. “I followed him all the way around. I was looking for a cover trip, but the cover came a little earlier than I expected. It worked out perfect for us.”
Matthew Cox trains Europan Union, a homebred No Pan Intended-Pansatlantic gelding who vaulted over $200,000 in career earnings, for Peter Pan Stables.
In the $22,500 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Pace, Red Star Hottie snapped an uncharacteristic three-race losing streak by scoring a comfortable front-end victory for Dave Palone in 1:51. The pocket-sitting Idol was second, 2-1/2 lengths in arrears, with Cadies Gotta Gun completing the trifecta.
Ron Burke trains Red Star Hottie, a five-year-old daughter of As Promised-Whitehorse Fever who now sports a career win percentage of 41.8, for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Grismore and Hall each drove four winners on the 15-race card while Palone enjoyed a triple.
(The Meadows)