Weeper had the field in tears once again Tuesday at The Meadows as she jogged off to the fastest win in a $121,200 Keystone Classic for two-year-old pacing fillies.
The event was contested over four divisions, with That Woman Hanover, Lucys Pearl and Mcvita Bella taking the other splits.
Mike Wilder (That Woman Hanover, Mcvita Bella) and Dave Palone (Weeper, Lucys Pearl) each enjoyed a stakes double, but that’s not all they did. Wilder won a total of seven races and Palone four — including his 16,000th career victory — meaning the duo won all but four of the 15 races on the program.
Weeper won the Pennsylvania Stallion Series championship this year and set The Meadows track record of 1:51.4 for freshman fillies earlier in the season. While she didn’t go quite that quickly Tuesday, she grabbed the lead before the quarter and sailed home, scoring in 1:52.3. Also Encouraging was second, with Mayabelle third.
“She was staked nice and casual this year,” said Kelly O’Donnell, who conditions the homebred daughter of Allamerican Native-Pleasant Yet Bad for Bay Pond Racing. “She’ll be staked quite a bit more next year for sure. She’ll be put away nice, fresh, solid and sound and should be a great three-year-old.”
That Woman Hanover won her third straight by retaking the lead at the quarter and holding off the late challenge of The Beach Nextdoor to down her by a length in 1:55.2. Case Dismissed earned show. That Woman Hanover had finished no better than fifth in her four Pennsylvania Sires Stakes splits, but Wilder said he never doubted her ability.
“I couldn’t draw inside the six-hole in any of those races,” Wilder said. “She loves to be in position, she loves to do the work. I was never in position where I wanted to go 26 and risk burning her up.”
Dan Altmeyer trains the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Sub Rosa Hanover and owns with Richard Kelson, Jack Piatt II and Jeffrey Altmeyer.
Although Lucys Pearl was parked and didn’t reach the front until the three-eighths, she got the half in a slowish :58.1. It was a cakewalk from there, as she prevailed in 1:55.1. She was 3-3/4 lengths better than the pocket-sitting Put On A Display. Stucklikeglue stuck around for show.
“I think she’s better racing off the pace,” Palone said, “but when the brakes came on up front, I figured we’d be over to the half in 1:01. So I moved her, and they let me put them to sleep the middle half. She gives you a good try every time.”
Ron Gurfein trains the daughter of Well Said-Remember When and owns with Elizabeth Novak.
In the $18,000 Preferred Handicap Trot, Run And Tell Pap and Wilder shot the Lightning Lane to score in 1:55.1 for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and M1 Stable.. Redder Than Red was a head back in second with Big And Little third. With the win, the six-year-old High Falls-Adeles Jade gelding soared over $400,000 in career earnings.
Wednesday’s card at The Meadows features a $120,000 Keystone Classic for two-year-old filly trotters. First post is 12:55 p.m.
(The Meadows)