Fighting Evil launched the decisive move past three-quarters and rolled home in a career-best 1:52.2 in Tuesday’s (Sept. 15) Keystone Classic at The Meadows. Darby Hanover took the other split in the $79,900 stake for freshmen pacing fillies.
Sniper Hanover opened a sizable lead after three-quarters but was no match for the rally of Fighting Evil, who overwhelmed her in the lane and held off Peep N Weep by a head for Mike Wilder. Oceans Apart completed the ticket.
“This filly just loves to chase,” said Dane Snyder, who trains the daughter of Sweet Lou-Evil Fight—a $12,000 yearling acquisition—for Danielle Snyder and Jason Ash. “She’s not very big herself, but she has a big heart. She has one more race this year—the Standardbred at Delaware. She’s little, and she needs some rest.”
Although Darby Hanover was forced through a :27.4 opening panel to reach the point, she had little trouble thereafter, cruising home for driver Andy Miller and trainer Julie Miller in 1:53.1. Natchez Belle was second, beaten two-and-a-half lengths, with Lady Newton third.
“When she came back to me at the half, she relaxed, so I felt all right from there on,” Andy Miller said. “She’s putting together a pretty nice year, and she has a few more races to go. She’ll probably go to the Liberty Bell next. We might try a big race later in the year.”
The daughter of Betting Line-Darena Hanover has finished in the money in all seven career starts for owners Andy Miller Stable and Carroll Huffman.
$85,000 Keystone Classic — Two-Year-Old Filly Trot
This year’s Pennsylvania Stallion Series champion, Love Muffin, was out to extend her winning streak to three—and she did just that with a front-stepping victory in 1:56.2 for Jim Pantaleano, trainer David Wiest and owners Edward Kimmel and Don Wiest. Long shot Cheesy Hanover was two-and-three-quarter lengths back in second with the first-over Frankly My Dear third.
Although the daughter of Andover Hall-Pine Yankee has been ahead at every call in her current streak, David Wiest indicated she actually prefers chasing.
“She’d do better off the pace, but she’s that quick off the gate,” he said. “She has two more races this year, both at Chester.”
In the other split, Julie and Andy Miller teamed up again to win with Pub Crawl who, on paper, at least appeared to lay over the field. The 1-5 favourite did nothing to dispel that notion, jogging in 1:56.1 and defeating Keystone Barracuda by four lengths. Myreanna earned show.
“She’s been racing some pretty good fillies, and she found a little better spot today,” Andy Miller said. “She still has quite a few races to go. We’ll probably go to the Liberty Bell next.”
The daughter of Bar Hopping-Myth now has banked $132,763 for Andy Miller Stable, Louis Willinger, Kapildeo Singh and Phillip Helmuth.
Dave Palone collected three wins on the 13-race card, including a pair for trainer Marcus Marashian.
Live racing at The Meadows continues Wednesday (Sept. 16) when the 13-race program features a $22,835.77 carryover in the final-race Super Hi 5. On the racing front, the card offers a pair of Keystone Classics: a $63,550 stake for three-year-old pacing fillies and a $67,500 event for three-year-old trotting fillies. First post is 12:45 p.m. (EDT).
(The Meadows)