Ezpass Hanover made it look easy Tuesday at The Meadows as he drew off by five lengths to capture the $40,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series championship for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers in a stake-record 1:52.1
.
The Meadows hosted all four $40,000 Stallion Series freshman championships, with Dream Of Winning (filly pacers), Cant Be Seduced (filly trotters) and Boytown (colt and gelding trotters) also crowned champions.
Ezpass Hanover blew away the field by seven lengths in a blistering 1:51.3 in the final Stallion Series preliminary leg at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. In the final, the 1-2 favourite was just as dominant, reaching the front with a quarter-pole move and jogging home to defeat the pocket-sitting Blueridge Dancer. Papa Ray was third.
A $27,000 yearling acquisition, Ezpass Hanover won for the fourth time in six career starts and erased the stake mark of 1:53.2 established by We Will See in 2009.
“I like his size - a medium-sized horse - and his leg length,” said Tim Pinske, who trains the son of The Panderosa-Express Gate for Pinske Stables. “He’s from an old family, but there’s some production there. He’s a June 19 foal, so I didn’t want to stretch him out too early. That’s why we elected the Stallion Series route.”
Dream Of Winning rolled into the final for the rookie pacing fillies on a four-race winning streak, but her mettle was tested when she trailed by 2-1/2 lengths at the top of the stretch. She passed the test with flying colours, digging deep for Brian Zendt to defeat the tiring Southwind Johanne by a neck in 1:56. Im Fondue Of You completed the ticket. Dream Of Winning has finished first or second in all eight lifetime outings.
“I never thought she could catch the leader,” winning conditioner Aaron Johnston said. “She raced that way in her very first start. She has a big heart. She’s eligible for the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes next year, and we’ll see what else we can get her in. She’ll just relax the rest of this year.”
Debra Schoeffel, Thomas Taylor, Brooke Dumont and Wayne Kiebler own the daughter of Yankee Cruiser-Magical Dreamer.
Cant Be Seduced enjoyed a leisurely second panel in :32, a breather that helped her thwart the late charge of the pocket-sitting Keystone Tempo and defeat that rival by half a length in 1:58.3 in the final for two-year-old trotting fillies. Upfront Carol was third. The time knocked a second from the previous stake record set by Liz in 2009.
“I didn’t want to go that slowly the second quarter, but she didn’t want to go on the lead,” Palone said. “But when a horse came first over, she picked it up and trotted strong through the wire. I think she can go with much better horses. She has a great attitude, and you can’t get her off her feet.”
Trond Smedshammer trains the daughter of Cantab Hall-Seducer Hall for Melvin Hartman, Herb Liverman and White Birch Farm.
Dismissed at 13-1, Boytown trotted patiently while several of the leaders self-destructed, then followed cover beautifully for Dick Stillings to score in a stake record 1:57.2 in the final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings. The performance bettered the previous mark of 1:58 set by MMs Lucky Boy in 2009. The first-over Scary Good was second, with Pilgrims Power third.
“I took him to the fairs last week to show him what he’d have to do if he didn’t race well today,” joked Rich Gillock, who trains the homebred American Winner-P Town Girl gelding and owns with Barbara and James Richardson. “Really, he’s a nice little horse with a nice gait.”
(The Meadows)