Strike An Attitude made the front with a dazzling quarter-pole move and didn’t stop smoking until she crossed the wire in 1:52.2 – the fastest mile ever for a
freshman filly pacer at The Meadows - in a division of Tuesday afternoon’s Keystone Classic.
The $126,400 event was contested over three divisions, with Musette Mindale and Day To Ponder taking the other splits. Dave Palone and trainer Bob McIntosh enjoyed stake doubles with Strike An Attitude and Day To Ponder.
Strike An Attitude’s quarter-pole move was unusual in that she wasn’t terribly well positioned - 6-1/2 lengths behind - at the start. But the daughter of Western Hanover-Strike A Balance gobbled up the deficit and went on to defeat Show And Tell by three lengths, with Hasty Pulse third. Her time knocked a tick off the previous track record established by Armbro Dancer in 2005.
“I wanted to take care of her the first quarter and let her relax,” Palone said. “When I moved her, she was like a rocket ship, yet well within herself. She did it without my asking her; that’s the mark of a great horse.”
He said McIntosh indicated Strike An Attitude will be pointed to the Breeders Crown. Robert McIntosh Stables, Paul Ysebaert and C S X Stables own the new track record-holder.
Musette Mindale surprised just about everyone - she triumphed for Mike Wilder at a lusty 33-1 - except her trainer, Norm Parker, who remained confident in her despite breaks in her two most recent efforts.
“She picked up a little quirk behind the gate,” Parker said of the $11,000 yearling acquisition. “Whenever she went too slowly, she would break. That’s what happened in the qualifier. The gate stopped because of a problem, and she broke. But I had a feeling she was coming up to this race pretty good. She needed a bit of luck, got it and performed like we were hoping she would.”
In the Keystone Classic, Musette Mindale looped the field from seventh and scored in a career-best 1:53.4. She was 3-3/4 lengths ahead of Fashion Mystery. Lizas Pride completed the top three. Rex Parker owns the daughter of The Panderosa-Happy To Be Best, who has completed her freshman campaign.
Palone hoped to sit second with Day To Ponder behind Brett Miller and Cold Mist, the 2010 Pennsylvania divisional champion. As often happens in racing, that strategy was upended.
“I got caught in front of Brett instead,” Palone said. “But the fractions were soft, and I was able to back into Brett. When I did hit the gas, she was gone. It was all done in the last eighth. That makes her last quarter of :27.4 even more impressive.”
Day To Ponder downed Cold Mist by three lengths in 1:53.1, with Pupetta a ground-saving third. Robert McIntosh Stables, C X S Stables and John Fielding own Day To Ponder, a daughter of Ponder-On This Day who has finished in the money in all 10 lifetime starts.
In the $22,500 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Trot, a locked-in Toms OK Lady found late racing room and prevailed in 1:55.1. It was her fourth consecutive win. Im Justa Lady shot the Lightning Lane for second, with Caviar Forthe Lady third. Palone drove - one of his five wins on the 15-race card - for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable, M1 Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Bethann Palone.
(The Meadows)